


The Keeper of Coins

by dragon_cake_was_taken_13



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, Canon - TV, Captain Hook | Killian Jones In Love, Comfort/Angst, Dark, Draconic/dragon-like Dovahkiin | Dragonborn (Elder Scrolls), Dragons, Drama, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Retellings, Falling In Love, Fantasy, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Past Sexual Abuse, Romance, Sexual Content, Storybrooke (Once Upon a Time), True Love's Kiss, Underworld (Once Upon a Time), Unresolved Romantic Tension, Whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-16 19:46:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 16
Words: 45,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29581161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragon_cake_was_taken_13/pseuds/dragon_cake_was_taken_13
Summary: The story of the Lonely Dragon hidden away in the mountains of Asari is an untold one. Nadri Coin met her death after liberating her city and becoming enslaved to the Dragon Slayer that had betrayed her after years of deception. Nadri entered to the realm of the Underworld as a slave and Hades found her, determined to continue her slavery and ensuring she will never feel freedom again.Killian Jones arrives in the Underworld after his great sacrifice, being brought to the Lord of the Underworld and encountering a great beast by his side guarding his most prized possession. Killian didn't think that the day would come where he found that a woman with the powerful magic of a dragon would be his true love.
Relationships: Baelfire | Neal Cassidy/Emma Swan, Captain Hook - Relationship, Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Original Female Character(s), Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood, Hades (Once Upon a Time)/Original Female Character(s), Hades/Wicked Witch of the West | Zelena, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard
Comments: 22
Kudos: 8





	1. ZAAM

The eerie voices whispered faintly around ears contently listening. Deep, violet eyes stared into the pool below, watching spirits moan and twisted into each other as fingertips traced loops a centimeter above the water, tempting fate. Every day in the same morning, the young woman would sit there and talk to lost spirits calling for help, trying to give them comfort in the hopes of continuing her search for her unfinished business.

Time was no longer a concern in the Underworld, she stopped caring hundreds of years ago that the sun would forever stay the same, laying an orange tint throughout the air.

Nadri breathed in deeply, closing her eyes. She wanted to let her fingers drop into the water, disappear into the depths for the rest of her soul’s eternity. Her old soul had lingered for so long, tired. Her soul was one of the oldest residents in the Underworld, so long forgotten but yet so powerful to some. She leant over on her knees, watching as the magic ties around her wrists dangled into the water, unaffected by the power the spirits held. Nadri wondered, what would happen if she just touched it?

What would happen if she could just be lost to the river, forever a tortured soul, instead of an eternity bound slave?

What would truly be better?

“I wouldn’t get too close.”

The voice suddenly disclosed from behind her. Nadri jumped at the old voice that had spoken from behind her, almost losing her balance to fall into the water. She gripped the slabbed ledge tightly pushing herself back to balance. She moved her head up and peeked over her shoulder through the bundles of deep black curls that laid below her shoulders and up at the statue of the God behind her. Her heart-shaped, radiant face held bright, glittering violet eyes, set graciously within their sockets, studied him intently, a lightning storm that had no fight left. Smooth pale skin gleamed from the reflection of the deep ethereal blue waters.

The Lord of the Underworld stood so proudly with his darkness humming within him. Nadri groaned quietly, exhaling through her slim nose knowing that Hades had now in fact found her. Regret filled her soul, the feeling of impending dread washed over her like waterfall. She had kept to the shadows, stayed deep within the ruins beyond the sight of a single soul and where Hades didn’t bother to venture. Nadri had all the help she needed and now after all this time, she had been found.

A deer caught in the headlights wasn’t enough to describe Nadri right now. She should have jumped in while she could. Nadri had been a slave for so long, she almost couldn’t tell if it was true or a dream anymore. She silently congratulated Hades for finally finding her. Hades couldn’t find a rogue soul in his own house. Nadri was a soul bound to serve him, Hades just let her go long enough to get a taste of being free before he yanked her back within the darkness.

“Nothing to say, my dear? How about…hello?” Hades approached Nadri leisurely, his cane tapping along the stone floor of the ruins. The ruby skull on top of the cane glowed ominously as he stepped closer. Nadri stared up at Hades towering above her, a formal black suit with a red silk handkerchief in his breast pocket and cocking his head at her as if he was expecting her to bow down to his feet graciously.

“Hades.” Nadri greeted, forcing a smile on her pale pink lips but underneath she felt as if the blood running through her veins had turned to ice the more and more he stood in her presence. Hades extended his hand, waiting patiently for her to take it.

“Please, Nadri. I’m a busy man.” Hades continued to wait, growing impatient before Nadri hesitantly took it his hand. He lifted her up effortlessly, her bare feet touching the stone cold ground and the thin material of her mystical purple dress no longer scrunched up around her legs but flooding the ground neatly, flowing around her feet. “You didn’t think you could hide for much longer, did you?”

“It worked so far.” Nadri coldly shot back, pulling her hand away. She brushed the dust from the perfectly sewn, scaled lace dress wrapped around her body tightly it could have almost been her own skin. The tops of her arms and her back were exposed, the scaled material covering breasts and midsection spreading out. The scaled sleeves started half way down her forearms and stopped just below her wrists. Nadri pushed her hair back, exposing the gold-plated necklace that sat solid around her neck. Tiny diamonds were placed decoratively around the area where a marquise shaped gemstone should have been, leaving an unoccupied crevice in the necklace. “It’s been a long time.” The pale-faced woman acknowledged, trying to stay calm within herself.

“You are very careful. I commend you for that.” Hades commented smoothly, complimenting her escape plan. “Getting past Cerberus though, that was smooth work. Have help did you?” His dark, almost piercing black, eyes stared into her soul. Her stature compared to his were dramatically different, Hades loomed over her whilst she tried to keep her calm and proud posture.

“He’s a big softie really.” Nadri retorted back sarcastically, dismissing his inkling about her having any help towards her escape, her usually soft-spoken voice harsh with impatience. “What now? Are you going throw me in? I welcome it.” She asked shakily and Hades just laughed softly. He looked back down at Nadri darkly, enjoying toying with her fear.

“What do they call you again, The Lonely One now?” Nadri forced an annoyed smile, exhaling and shaking her head. “Nadri the Lonely.” He trailed off, a smug, sickening smirk on his face. Hades looked at the young woman in front of him, her body shaking ever so slightly. “Time ticks away so fast when you’re a lost soul.”

Hades left her to wonder the afterlife like a child learning how to walk for hundreds of years. Her soul could not tether to unfinished business because what else could there be in this life? Nadri lived a life confined to the mountains in Asari, a land full of many mythical creatures some had thought to never have existed, looking after the King’s riches and jewels, a lonely life. For every person who appeared in that mountain she would ward off, dragon slayers, adventurers, dwarves…anyone who became a threat to her and the royalty she was enslaved by.

“Repenting for all of those things you’ve done in this life?” Hades brought a hand up to Nadri’s slender jaw, tracing it with his fingers as she visibly became uncomfortable. She clenched her jaw, feeling burning hot finger tips along her skin. “All those innocents?” He continued to stroke her face, smiling perversely. Hades enjoyed making her suffer, just like he did with the other souls that had entered this realm, but with Nadri his aim was to snuff out any sort of fire that kept her so lenient towards disobeying.

Did he really expect Zeus to take care of this souls, show them guidance? How wrong he was.

“Dragon-slayers are not innocents. You heard the wrong fairy-tale.” Nadri barked, repulsing away from his hands. Hades chuckling wickedly, relishing in playing with her mind. She narrowed her slim eyebrows at the older man, feeling her rage beginning to stir further around deep inside her. “How dare you insult me?” She spat with disgust.

“I branded you as a slave, Nadri. I can do what I want with you.” Hades shrugged. “You couldn’t hide from me forever, I would always find you.”

“You did a pretty piss poor job of it for years.”

**_Thwack_**.

Hades cane whipped Nadri across the face suddenly, the top end smacking her in the jaw at her comment. Nadri gasped, feeling the sting ripple up her cheek as she brought a hand to her face out of shock, cradling it. Hades steadily cleared his throat, as if he hadn’t just violently struck her.

“You understand I have to punish you Nadri.” False sympathy littered his voice. She slowly turned her head to look at him, the beginning of a horrendous bruise marked her cheekbone. “What happened to the dark young woman who came into my realm long ago? Full of anger, the dark energy that vibrated through the night.” Hades raised an eyebrow at the young woman, admiring her slender body fitting well in the long, elegant dress that she had fallen into this realm in. It wrapped around her curves, detailing every inch of her body. “You strove for destruction.”

“Anger fades Hades, _heartbreak_ fades.” Tears threatened to spill from her eyes from the soaring pain spreading in her cheek.

“It does not.” He slammed his cane into the ground, Nadri touching a nerve deep inside of him. You couldn’t expect to come into this realm, a powerful being like you, and expect not be used?” Nadri swallowed hard, recalling every torment Hades inflicted when her anger towards her killer had ceased.

She had been beaten, fondled, used against other souls as a terror tactic and protecting Hades most valuable treasure in both forms. Hades would relish in his slave’s powerful and ancient magic.

“Let’s go home.” Nadri solemnly nodded as Hades flicked his wrist, red and black smoke circling around their feet and engulfing them like a poisonous cloud.

They appeared into another room underneath the city of the Underworld. Great braziers hanging from one side of each of the eight obsidian columns light up most of the throne room and covered the room in warm oranges and dancing shadows. They stood upon a golden rug that split part of the room in half from the throne. Wide, stained glass windows depicting ancient legends are shrouded by curtains coloured the same golden as the rugs, beyond the windows were pure darkness. Hades throne was covered in textured and layered illustrations and fixed on each of the broad feet is a gilded petal. The modest pillows are a dark red and were adorned with golden corners. The last time Nadri was inside this room, she had dissolved the chains bounded to her with the water from the River of Souls.

Hades thought better of that this time.

“Happy to be home?” Hades strutted up to the table next to his gleaming throne, the decanter full of a rich red wine that he had been saving for this occasion. As he was pouring, Nadri analyzed the chains in the corner of the room, Hades had gone through a lot of work to make sure they could bind her. The collar itself was made from obsidian, a trick he had since learned after she escaped the first time, it was engraved with ancient Dragon language to keep her bounded as a slave to the chains.

Why couldn’t he just obliterate her to Hell? Why does he need a pet to play with?

“Just turn me, already.” Nadri murmured, still standing there like a blank statue. Hades had complete and utter power over Nadri, as soon as she was back into her chains as the form she once was then she would never be able to leave again. He would make sure that she would never see the light, feel the freedom ever again.

“You see, I would.” Hades told her with a chipper tone, finishing his glass and approaching her with his cane. “But, you ran away.” He pointed it at her threateningly with his cane. “Insubordination will not happen.” Hades swung the cane, Nadri standing there firm in her stance and bracing for the impact that was about to knock her off her feet.

It hit her in the face again, the young magical being falling to the marble floor with a cry. Nadri felt her face seer with the impact before Hades raised his hand and her body flung across the room with magical energy, her body tumbling through the air and hitting the tiles with a cracking thud. The entire of her body shook as she attempted to pull herself up from the floor but the blow had immense impact to her frame. Hades slowly sauntered up to her with a menacing demeanour as she pathetically tried to crawl away. Nadri sobbed into the tears, fraught for breath.

“S-Stop.” Blood dripped from her lips, spitting it out onto the tiles. Nadri could barely hold herself up, feeling the shredding and tearing inside of her from her injuries. “Hades.”

“Beg.” He stood over her, bringing out the handkerchief and wiping the end of his cane where the blood from her mouth splattered up the ebony wood. Nadri firmly bit her lip, blood dribbling down her mouth. “Beg…and I might stop.” She dragged herself up, purposely spitting blood onto his freshly cleaned rug.

“N-Never.”

Hales scoffed, dissatisfied.

All of a sudden he wrapped his hand within her curls, Hades wrapped his hands within the curls of her hair and yanked her up from the ground aggressively. Nadri whimpered, flailing her legs out and scratching at Hades hands whilst he just bemused to himself. The lengths of her dress tangled between her legs as admired her from above, tears streaming down her face as her eyes silently pleaded with him.

“Once Upon a Time… I was something that Zeus… would have dreamed to have in his court.” Nadri managed to get out, gurgling on her own blood from the internal cracking from the pillar. “P-Protecting his riches, his people.” She spat the crimson liquid up at him, hocking it in his face. Hades flared above her, moving his hand across to her throat and traced the outline of the river of scarred flesh that ran along her neck and down to her chest before bringing it back up and slowly narrowing his grip. Her eyes widened, the blood trapped in her throat as she choked and drowned on it.

“S-Should have left me… at the River.” Nadri breathed out painfully before yelping out when Hades began to drag her along hastily towards the fireplace. The hair on her head felt as if it was slowly being pulled out as he pulled her along like a disobedient dog.

He discarded her to the ground, her dress tearing as she fell, and blood sticking to the material like glue. Another kick to the ribs. Nadri gasped for air, feeling the blows to her back and inside of her body. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real, she was already dead. It felt like it had continued for a lifetime, by the time Hades had stopped, Nadri was in writhing agony at the Lord of the Underworld’s feet as he panted. Her vision went blurry as tears streamed from her eyes. Biting the pain was barely an option as agonizing cramps seemed to crush her insides from within. She was unable to block out the pain entirely. Her vision darkened as the battle took on her body.

Hades held up a glittering, purple stone within his fingertips. The gleam that shone off the stone winked at Nadri as she laid on the floor, sparkling with a dark magic so powerful that even Hades wouldn’t be able to conjure such a curse.

“You won’t be able to escape so easily this time.”


	2. PIRAAK

Killian Jones woke up with a shocking breath, attempting to sit up. He had laid battered, bloodied and bruised on the stone slabs of the Underworld Prison. His bright eyes, now full of exhaustion, fluttered open with a disorientated daze. The last thing he remembered was feeling his soul being pulled around after someone had attempted to summon him.

Did his friends come down to the Underworld to save him? How was it possible? His skull felt like it had been invaded by wasps, buzzing in his ears as he carefully pulled himself up from the floor. He looked around, beginning to realize he was in a dark, damp open cell. The screams of the dungeons were heard in the distance. The whipping, the howling of dogs and the souls screeching and twisting into fire out of pain. Killian grimaced in pain as he managed to roll over and get onto one knee, attempting to keep the agonizing pain at bay.

“Is this a bloody trick?!” Killian barked out, attempting to step off the small, stone cell he was laying on. He could barely stand, limping. His hair was soaked with blood while sporting a black eye and a slice across his lip that had been bleeding whilst he was unconscious.

“Stop.” He heard a woman’s voice. He looked up, seeing another young woman with her knees up to her chest cuddled into the corner of her own cell. Her reddish hair dirtied by the dust from the cell. “That's exactly what it is... A trick. Don't move. He wants you to think you can escape, but... you can't. No one can.” She believed frightfully.

“Aye. We'll see about that.” He took a step off the platform, canning her concerns.

“Don't! He'll hunt you down…Never mind what’s waiting for us outside.”

“Hades has already done his worst to me.” Killian dismissed, desperate to find his way out of this cell to find his friends who had summoned him here. He could briefly remember bits and pieces of the conversation, he knew that he could hear the Saviour’s voice. His best friend was determined to save him and he wasn’t going to let Emma down.

“I don't mean Hades.”

“Who, then?” Killian scoffed, what could possibly worse than Hades?

“No. Just don't.” She repeated, her face deadpanned and her voice as serious as ever.

“Look, this isn't my first cell. I don't just sit around and rot.” Killian pushed, determined not to continue standing there any longer. “Now, somebody's come down here to save me and I need to make her job easier.” He stated, still looking around the cell trying to find a way out. “She got me a message so we need to get going. What’s keeping us in here?” She looked back down again, eyes full of horror. What was beyond that door? He had hatched enough escape plans in his lifetime to know what he could sneak past.

“Something you don't want to face…”

“Well, I'll be the judge of that-”

“Meg. Megaera.” He hobbled towards her with a grunt.

“Time to go, Meg.” He waited further.

“Are you mad?!” Meg gawked, Killian leant down and extended his hand to her.

“Perhaps. But I'm the best chance you have. Here. Come on.” He encouraged as the redhead whimpered at him, taking his hand shakily and pulling her up from the ground. “Let’s go.” They shuffled along out of the stone cell and into a long hallway.

Orange and red reflected off the end of the hallway where they could hear loud demonic growling. They turned around and headed down the opposite end of the hallway, sconces lighting the way as the darkness tried to enclose of them. Killian rushed his cellmate forward as she whimpered and panicked as the growling got closer and closer to the opening of the hallway.

“I told you we'll never make it.” Meg whispered and Killian stopped her midway.

“We won't but you will. I'll draw the hell beasts away. You run. And once you're free, find Emma Swan. I'm Captain Killian Jones... Captain Hook. Tell her to find me.” Meg nodded urgently and continued running down the hallway. Killian turned his head back to where the growing was coming, hearing it come closer and closer to him. His footsteps hit the paving as he ran down the hallway, his breath hitching with the agony he felt within his body. He saw a door along the side of the wall ahead, looking over his shoulder before putting the brakes on and pushing open the wooden door to trick the beast.

Killian slipped through the door, shutting it behind him and locking it. He held his hands against the door, breathing heavily as the exhaustion starting waving through him. He needed to slip past the beast somehow.

**_“Did you really think you could run?”_** Killian froze with his hands against the door, feeling the deep rumbling across the floor from the words of what was behind him. He felt the gust of wind sweep across the floor after hearing the shuffling and grumbling. He was afraid to turn around. Fear paralyzed his body. Whatever it was, it was big. He could feel thudding of feet, the dragging of wings across the floor. **“ _This is not the realm of the living…_** **_raaviir.”_** The voice spoke again, he could feel dark eyes analysing every inch of him. **_“You can’t escape.”_**

  
“What do you know of me, beast?” Killian croaked out as he could see a tail slipping past the door and coming between his boots and the wood. It was not a tail of a small creature of any means, he could see the dark scales rippling up the tail.

**_“Do I really frighten you so? Even like this?”_** Killian cautiously stepped around to face the voice that loomed behind him and exhaled sharply at the sight, pure panic and fear washed over his face as he paled. Killian gulped as he stared at the beast, anxiety trembling his legs.

Gentle amethyst-like eyes sit narrowly within the creature's rounded, long skull, which gave the creature a rather gentle looking appearance despite its massive stature. A row of tendrils runs down the side of each of its jaw lines. Its nose is large and has two enormous, warped nostrils and a strong neck ran down from its head and into a slim body, a thick tanned scar dug down its neck and chest. The top is covered in thick, shining, purple and black scales and a row of small spikes runs down its spine. Delicate wings grew starting from its shoulders and end just passed the end at the lower end of its tail.

The dragon slowly stood up, stretching its wings out and Killian almost fell over flinching at the giant creature. The dragon’s wings reached past the chandelier full of candles that hung from the ceiling. Its tail stretched out across the room that enclosed around the beast, restricting it from escaping. Killian saw the collar wrapped around her neck tightly, two chains wrapped around its body and lead down to the floor where they were locked with enchantments.

****

“Hardly a fair fight!” Killian shouted up at the beast, only for it to chuckle quietly.

**_“Do you really think I chained to this cell to fight you,_** **_raaviir?”_** The dragon lowered its head, bringing itself down to Killian’s level as he managed to keep himself standing. **_“Go back to your cell and stay there.”_** Killian knitted his eyebrows together at the dragon’s warning. Why wasn’t he ash piled on the floor by now? Why wasn’t he screaming while he burnt to death by the dragon’s flames ** _. “You are putting us both in danger, raaviir.”_**

“My name is Killian Jones - Captain Hook.” Killian angrily corrected the beast in front of him, still panicking and holding his injured body. “What is this trickery beast? I thought dragons served no man.”

**_“We do not. What made you think I was here willingly?”_** The dragon huffed, being up the dust and grain from the stone floors. **_“You are being hunted, Ruveyzun.”_** The dragon corrected itself, bringing its head back up and slowly walking around the small man in front of it. His dark leather jacket was torn and battered, rings littered his fingers and it raised an eye at the hook that twisted onto the end of his right hand. **_“A vugzahd is nothing against Cerberus.”_** The dragon growled, lowering its head back down and flashing its snarling, gleaming diamond-like teeth.

“This is a trick.” Killian refused to believe the creature towering darkness over him, the collar burning through the scales of the dragon every time it tugged against the chains.

**_“I am trying to help you, Ruveyzun. Go back to your cell before you experience something worse than death.”_** It wasn’t like the dragons that he had been told about as a boy, or the dragons that had tried firing down at his ship. The dragon was chained up like it was a prisoner to its own master, a danger to the souls around it yet here it was telling Killian to leave without putting him through excruciating pain of being burnt alive. **_“It is not you who will bear the burden.”_**

Killian stepped backwards as the dragon raised its voice, his hand reaching for the handle of the door to open it and limp out with a struggle. Killian closed the door after him, the dragon satisfied with the man finally taking its advice. It moved back into the shadows of the stone room, slinking back down within the rubble and left wondering to the pirate's fate.

Killian held his breath and looked around down the dark hallways around him. The prison was a maze, there was no way he was going to be able to leave unscathed. From the dark mistiness, a three headed ghastly monster appeared. Killian couldn’t move, almost paralyzed with fear. The body of a dog with shaggy black fur stood before him down the hallway, jagged teeth snarling and barking. The dog’s tail slowly morphed into a serpent, with a venomous head at the end, and more serpents sprouted from the body, hissing. Killian had to move, he had to run. He had to get his legs working.

When the dog started running towards him, chasing him as if he was a meal at dinner time, Killian finally pushed his feet off the floor. He ran as fast as his body would let him, the vicious monster chasing him down the hallway.

The monster was quicker.

He suddenly felt his body fly forward and across the stone. The three headed dog stood above him, barking and snarling close to his fast. He tried to push himself away, but felt a bone-crushing weight on his arm when the beast rested a paw on him to avoid him moving.

This was how it was going to end.


	3. VULDAK

****

_“I liberated the city for you!” Nadri blubbered to the man lounging in the stone chair in front of her. She knelt across the broad, marble steps in an elegant, purple dress tight around her curved frame. A golden dragon’s tail necklace with a crystal laid within it, pulsed furiously, as it laid in Nathaniel’s hand. “I helped you. I protected you. I killed the King for you.” Nadri’s throat felt as if it was going to close up, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. His thumb brushed over the amethyst that beamed in the necklace, closing his hand and gripping it hard in his palm. “You don’t know the forces you are messing with here, regardless of tahloniik.”_

_“You did your job well, Nadri.” The man congratulated her with a cruel undertone. He enjoyed the previous occupier’s throne comfortably, his cape draped down the arm of the throne as the crown sat crooked on his head, made of dragon’s teeth and a row of obsidian gemstones. “You were good and you could be so much more.” He raised up proudly, puffing his chest as he pulled the sword from its sheath, the swords metal gleamed as the lit fire reflected from it. “I will do what it takes to have power, my dear and that means controlling you.”_

_“You cannot take my heart.” Nadri refused heatedly and the new-coming King raised the sword above her head, threatening her if she continued to go further. “You can’t kill me, don’t you understand? You traded my power to place my soul in a human body, no longer a Dovah. All magic comes with a price, Nathaniel.”_

_“You will address me as your King!” He screamed furiously, Nathaniel took steps down to her, dragging the sword along beside him and lifted it to her face, the point digging into her cheek. “I am your King, Nadri. You got us here, you should be proud of yourself!” He laughed mechanically._

_“That was the plan wasn’t it?” Nadri whispered, feeling overwhelmed with betrayal. “You turned me into this being because you didn’t want me to do what I did to our King. You didn’t want face my power.” Nathaniel laughed darkly, scoffing._

_“You served your purpose.” The pointed blade dug further. “Now I have made you into nothing.” He flashed his teeth, proud, relishing in her weakness._

_“You fooled me.” Nadri corrected, the blood trickling down her cheeky slowly and dripping into the fabrics of her dress._

_“It was easy.” He bellowed and dug the sword into her face harder. “You were so desperate to be loved, to be wanted as a beast. Now, you’re not even wanted as a woman.”_

_“The elves will find you.” Nathaniel snorted. “You may laugh but if you kill me, you will regret it.” Nadri bravely breathed out only for Nathaniel to bring the sword back away from her cheek and rest it against her slender neck, teasing the skin with the blade._

_“Shall we find out?” Nathaniel raised his eyebrow, sly betrayal in his eyes as he clutched the gemstone close to his chest._

_“Are you sure you want to try?”_

Hades lounged in his throne, his feet parked up on a stool and relaxing whilst sipping on the crystal glass of wine that had been freshly poured and admiring the woman that sat kneeled on the rug next to the fireplace in front of him. He smirked to himself, twirling the wine around in the glass. He cocked his head at Nadri as she stared up at him with waiting eyes, wondering what was going on inside of her beautiful head.

“I think I prefer you better like this.” Hades finally spoke after a few moments, Nadri feeling the thickening tension break between them. “Obedient.”

“You only have yourself to thank, Hades.” Nadri coldly replied, her face still heavily bruised as well as the rest of her body. The dress she had been wearing before had been cleaned, Hades determined for Nadri to look her best in his presence. “I knew nothing of the raaviir escaping.”

“You see-“ Hades stood up suddenly, making Nadri jump at his sudden movement. He lurked around her, drinking from his glass and his dark eyes looking over the young woman on the ground. “I don’t believe that. My guards have him kept him…comfortable for now. How escapee just wonder past your cell, unheard, but Cerberus found him easily?” Hades continued to circle her, like a lion hunting down and ready to attack its prey. He reached to her hair, her scalp already red and sore from being dragged across the throne room previously, only this time gently stroking her head. “Do I have to control you in order to get the truth? All I have to say are those little words Nadri and you will be spilling every secret.”

“I am telling the truth.” Nadri gritted her teeth, knowing full well Hades could just command her through the spells laid within her bracelets but chose to ask her humanely first.

“Do I need to be more extreme with you?” Hades knitted his eyebrows together, his hand travelling down to the back of her neck and gripping it gently, Nadri leaning back with the feeling of being subdued. “Do I need to fuck that-“

The throne room doors swung open heavily, the handles hitting the stone bricks of the walls. Two Underworld guards, their pointed helm had a face guard shaped in the face of a raven and the breastplate was made from diagonal layers of leather with rounded edges and decoration pieces, came storming in the throne room with a barely conscious man between their arms.

“Have you people ever heard of knocking?!” He raised his voice to those who entered, turning around to the doors. Nadri let out a sigh of relief when she felt Hades pull his hand away from her neck, leaving her to storm towards his guards who had brought in a man that had been beaten a far lot worse than how he had first arrived in the Underworld, he could barely walk without limping and his face had been looked like he had been beaten up previously and then scratched and bitten at by a larger animal.

“I’m sorry my Lord, the pirate was getting restless.”

“Was he now?” Hades spat sarcastically. “He is a prisoner not a pet. Leave.” He ordered, the guards threw the man onto the floor, clutching his side as he felt the ribs crunching together. Killian landed next to Nadri, her eyes widening in horror after she had seen what they had done to him further since she last set her eyes on him. Ferocious cramps completely crippled him and they didn't seem to stop as he rolled around. His eye was swollen shut further with his eyebrow slit open and now weeping blood. He could barely breathe. “Oh, this is going to be quite an exciting day.”

  
“What have you done to him?” Nadri ghostly whispered, the man struggling next to her. She reached out and laid a hand on his arm, concerned for the life of his soul. Killian’s one bearable eye blinked at her weakly, looking up at the woman who was leaning over to access his injuries. Killian stared at the woman in front of him, wrapped up in the deep purple scaled dress that almost made her seem that she had walked out of the darkness itself. He could see the gleam across her pale skin, most of her body exposed by the dress. Her hair draped below her shoulders, perfectly curled. Her face was pale, smooth apart from the scar that dragged along down her neck and across her throat with the accompanying bruises she had suffered earlier.

He couldn’t break the stare with her, it almost felt like she was an angel guiding him to the light. He didn’t realise the bruises at first, she still radiated underneath.

“I thought you didn’t know who he was, Nadri.” Hades held the evil glint of a smile that she had become so accustomed to. “We will continue your punishment later. Get up.” He grabbed her by the arm roughly and hoisted her up from the floor, leaving Killian struggling as Hades pulled her away from him.

“Hades.” Killian barely spoke, a pained whisper.

“Yes, it is me.” Hades flashed a toothy smile, the older man running a hand through his hair to slip it back. “I understand you’ve met Nadri already.” Killian furrowed his eyebrows, trying to bring himself up from the ground as Hades presented him with Nadri. “She’s gorgeous isn’t she? A lot less…intimidating in this form.” Hades stood behind Nadri, his hands resting on her shoulders as she felt the cold energy shiver down her back.

“I’ve never seen this woman in my life.” Killian denied with a raised voice, still disorientated and angry from being beaten further by the guards. He gazed at Nadri as she so desperately wanted to shake her head to get him to understand that he should not be talking at all.

She told him to go back to his cell, why didn’t he just leave? Why did he have to try and be a hero and escape?

“Liar, liar, pants on fire.” Hades lowly whispered in Nadri’s ear, sending shivers further down her spine and feeling Hades stroke her shoulder perversely. Killian stared at the bracelets on her wrists underneath the scaled sleeves of her dress, golden, inscribed bracelets, replacing the ones she had previously. Nadri had a solid gold cuff around her neck with a space in the middle for a gemstone that had been removed carefully from the metal. There was something about her, her bright violet-like eyes stirred something of curiosity inside of him.

“You see though – Nadri here - was cursed with the life of a feeble little woman so she looks a little less intimidating like this.” Killian felt the pit of hatred for Hades burn even further as he continued to look at Nadri, who only returned the stare with a broken smile. “You met her in the dungeon if you remember.” Killian gawped like a fish when he thought back to him trying to find his way out of the Underworld’s prison, coming by the door by chance and encountering a mythical beast that he had only seen less than a handful of times. She was chained up, constricted, controlled. She wasn’t an apart of this, Nadri was a prisoner.

She was trying to warn him the whole time they were in that room together, whether he truly knew it or not.

Hades had been torturing an innocent woman, keeping her chained up to intimidate those who had entered this realm. He moved around to her so he could face her, enjoy seeing her wince from the searing pain in her face as he touched her, stroking the bruises on her cheek as Nadri winced when his thumb traced the open wound across her face that had been caused with the end of his cane.

“She looks beautiful when she’s hurt, doesn’t she?”

Nadri whacked his hand away out of her personal space only to receive a returning backhander. The blow echoed through the room, Killian kneeling there despairingly as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. He was powerless, unable to come to her aid and defend her. Killian could only sit and watch, clutching side with a shuddering breath, broken bones digging apart his insides.

“Will you admit it now?” Hades seethed at her, gripping her chin to force her to look at him. His eyes traced over her, Nadri feeling her skin crawl.

“I told him to run.” Hades threw Nadri to the ground in retaliation, yelping as she fell to the floor and landing on her front. Waves of throbbing, nauseating pain pulsed within her abdomen and she felt like her breakfast would return to her in an instant. The pain flared with increased intensity.

“Leave the woman alone!” He retaliated, Nadri heavily breathing next to him as Hades picked his cane up that was leaning against the throne. “What have you done to her?” Killian rebuked as he saw Nadri’s intense bruising across her arms and chest, peering underneath the thin material that covered her modesty. Her eyes were full of tears from the horrors that she had been through. Killian wanted to reach out and throttle Hades, desperate to choke the life from him.

“Those who run get punished, such as you.” He pointed at Killian. He had no need to feel anything towards the soul he had enslaved for centuries. “So please, don’t think about trying to leave again. Either of you. Now, keep our guest entertained, would you?” Hades winked at the woman in his presence before lowering his voice. “I will deal with you later.” He moved away, heading towards the tall, solid doors that entered out into the hallway, leaving them alone.

A tear fell from Nadri’s eye when the door was slammed closed against the frame, letting out a choked sob that she didn’t realise that was lurking in her throat. Still crippled with pain, she cried into the tiles where she previously laid beaten, her body shaking as the torment settled in. Killian watched from his side of the room, gathering the strength to bring himself up from the floor carefully crawl to the woman who once held the magic of a powerful beast. They were stuck in a room with guards around every corner and both had fought the mental battle of flight or fight.

They had both been at the brutal end of Hades punishments today.

“N-Nadri was it?” Killian stumbled nervously, shuffling around to Nadri. He cautiously brought himself back down to the floor, groaning and grunting as he sat beside her. Nadri took a shuddery breath, looking up at the man who was brave enough to come to her aid through the rolls of hair that had flopped over her face. “It’s okay, love.” She was hesitant, it had been so long since another soul had spoken to her with such soft words. Nadri swallowed hard, letting a tear slip as Killian continued to show his fear of her.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” He soothed, reaching out to her but she still sat weary. She skeptically looked at him, unsure whether to accept his concern. His hair was ruffled, stubble growing long around his jaw and dimples that peeked underneath as he smiled sweetly towards Nadri, trying to reassure her. Nadri felt the ache in the pit of her stomach of sympathy when she saw the swelling around his face from the beating.

“I told you to run, Ruveyzun.”


	4. RAAVIIR

_They had freed the kingdom of Asari, the battle fueled over two nights and lives of the elves, humans and dwarves had been lost within the fight. Nathaniel stood in the King’s throne room, admiring the statue of the horrendous beast that was built wrapped within the throne. It was made out of sacred designs, ancient to the forests of this land. The previous occupier laid lifeless in his throne, his body fired upon with a flame so hot that it scorched every cell of skin that was on his body, clothes and organs reduced to ash as the skeleton remained. The crown stood upon the old King’s head proudly, showing itself off for the person who dared take it next._

_“There you go dearie, it’s there for the taking.” The slimy, scaled crocodile of a man saunter from the shadows, his high-pitched, cruel toned voice spoke to the Nathaniel as he continued to gaze at the crown waiting for him. “But you did not summon little old me just for a crown, did you?” Rumpelstiltskin grinned devilishly, giggling._

_“I want more.” Nathaniel declared, turning to the Dark One._

_“You have the King’s riches, the dragon from his mountain. You claim the man’s throne.” Rumpelstiltskin squinted, strutting around as Nathaniel reached down to pick up the King’s crown._

_“I want the dragon’s power.” Nathaniel spoke as he brushed the dust from the crown, feeling it between his hands. Rumpelstiltskin cocked an eyebrow, curiosity peaking him tremendously. “Her necklace harbors all of her powers. I want to reduce her to nothing.”_

_“How quaint.” Rumpelstiltskin commented, a grin further spreading on his glittery gold scaled face._

_  
“She was already a slave to the mountain. I want stronger restraints. I want her worthless.”_

_“All magic comes with a price, my King. As does greed.”_

_“Whatever it takes.” Nathaniel brought the crown to his head, exhaling as it placed it on himself ceremoniously. “I have a particular bean that might peak your interest, Dark One. Along with the riches of the mountain, my loyalty to you.” Nathaniel darkly said, unsheathing his sword and hooking it on the remains of the skeleton to remove it from the seat of the throne. Rumpelstiltskin reached into his pocket, pulling out a roll of parchment. He unraveled it to reveal the terms and conditions of the contract that had been conjured between them._

_“Please, sign here.”_

“You fear me.” Nadri’s voice was soft and gently spoken. The last time another soul was in her presence she was alive in the form she was now and that was the last time she could remember her heart beating before the blade pierced her heart. She didn’t know how to act around him apart from timid and cautious. She remembered how those who ventured into her mountain felt, the terror, the earth-shaking fear. They looked at her like a vile beast that needed to be slayed. She could only remember Killian’s face when he first came across her, the shaking in his soul.

“You didn’t see it from my view.” Killian defended himself, trying to smile reassuringly. Nadri was sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, resting her crossed arms on them. Killian held his side in comfort, still wheezing and struggling for breath. The material of her **[dress](https://askasudesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/koliber-2000x1688.jpg)** flooded around her, Killian careful not to step on the delicate material. “I wasn’t expecting-“

“This?”

“Something like that.” Killian sheepishly admitted. “I’m sorry I did not listen to your concerns.” He apologized profusely, his expression washed with regret and guilt. Her hand reached out to his neck suddenly and Killian stopped moving as he felt the woman’s hand gently trace the wound around his neck.

“The puppy got you.” She brought her eyebrows together, pressing her lips together as she looked over his wounds.

“You call that thing a puppy?” Killian raised an eyebrow, the warm touch of her hand radiating through his skin as if he was laying out in the sun and the star was warming him from the inside. Nadri couldn’t help but deliver a shy smile and shook her head.

“Compared to me, he is a puppy.”

“I can’t disagree with you there, love.” Killian agreed apprehensively, remembering his encounter with the demon dog that was chasing him down in the Underworld prison. Nadri’s hand lingered before she realized that she was probably making him uncomfortable and pulled her hand away as if she had burned herself. “Your face-“

“It’s not the first time and I’m sure it isn’t the last time either.” Nadri shook her head, trying to dismiss his concern. “I will be expecting worse.” She dropped her look and looked at the glowing bracelets on her wrists reminded her of her capture and slavery. The engravings gleamed under the orange and red light of the candle chandelier above them. Killian had never heard of a fable of a woman being able to transform into a dragon in his realm. It was unheard of in the Enchanted Forest apart from Maleficent, even then she used that power for evil.

  
“Because of me?” He whispered, looking down with same as he couldn’t help but think of the reign of terror that Hades was going to bring down on the woman who tried to help him suffer a lesser punishment. Nadri knew what lied ahead and he deliberately ignored her.

“Yes, _Ruveyzun_.” Nadri admitted. “I defied Hades, hoping you would listen. You did the opposite.”

“Why do you keep call me that? Ruu-vee-zan?” He poorly pronounced, eventually waving it with a nervous beam on his lips.

“It is the language of the _Dovah_ , it is what you called yourself. Captain.” She tested the words on her tongue, not quite feeling the same as she said it.

“You could call me Killian, love.” Killian said back with a poor attempt of a charming grin, his face just feeling more painful as he smiled.

“Pretty name.” Nadri spoke with a small, broken smile, the action feeling foreign to her. It felt strange for her to hold a smile in such dark and traumatic circumstances but there was something about the man sitting with her, he managed to find that small, tiny little fire that still burned inside of her.

  
“To be fair, I wasn’t expecting a three-headed dog to chase me down and start tearing me apart.” Killian replied nervously with a slight chuckle, referring back to their previous conversation. “How did you even get here, love?” He got more comfortable on the rug, the two of them sitting in front of the flickering flames of the fireplace.

“My tale is different to many. Hades brought me here when I died. He used my _suleyk_ against me to make sure I couldn’t be free of his control. I was human for many years until last night.” Killian couldn’t help but be sadden by what she was telling him. He could see the young woman was trying to hold back her tears at recalling the memory.

“It sounds like a long and agonizing story.” Killian gave her a sympathetic tone, unsure of what else to say.

“Hades uses me terrify everyone. I have to do as he says even if I don’t want to.” She explained to him, swallowing hard at the already burned in memories of the things that he had put her through. Killian noticed her expression changing, her guard slowly coming back up and he did not press the issue further. “Please do not fear me in this form, Killian.”

“I don’t. I understand, love.” Killian agreed with her regrettably, trying not to think of how easily he grabbed hold of the darkness for it to consume him whole. He wanted to leave the world peacefully, he had a chance to save the others and the pain has still continued on even in the afterlife.

“I’m sorry you know the pain of being a slave to someone’s control.” Nadri exhaled heavily, rubbing her hand over her forehead and pinched the bridge of her nose. “He kept me locked away in here. I escaped for years, managed to hide away until…”

”Until my friends came to save me.” Killian concluded. Nadri looked down, upset, his friends had come all this way to retrieve him back to the Land of the Living. They wanted him back that much that they were willing to lose their souls trying. Nadri had been left alone for almost a thousand years and became accustomed to being at Hades’ every beck and call.

“The Underworld will start changing now there are living souls. You have the chance and you need to get out as soon as you can.” Nadri pushed, determined for him to leave this horrendous place. “Don’t get trapped here when you have a way out with your friends.”

Killian reached out for Nadri’s hand, taking it in his gently and embracing it. She wasn’t expecting him to take her hand, she was able to feel the rough skin of his hands as his thumb slid across her knuckles gently.

“I won’t leave you here to be a subject to his torture anymore.” Killian spoke, deadly serious as he looked into Nadri’s eyes. They could have consumed him, it was almost like he could see through the windows to her soul.

Her story wasn’t over yet, he was going to make sure of that.

“We can get out of this together.” Killian assured her firmly. His hand lingered against hers briefly, intently staring into the pools of violet that consumed him. He was sitting so close to her, her dress draping across the rug and Killian could see that it was almost see through. The scaled pattern on her dress dug into her skin and Killian come to realize that it was not fabric at all but the scales of her own dragon skin folding with the skin of her human form.

Nadri felt like she was under a microscope as Killian’s eyes burned a hole through her. He realized that he was still holding her hand when he was caught staring at her, pulling it away gently and the absence of the touch felt strange. He cleared his throat before looking back to her.

“We need to get a message to the others.”

* * *

Nadri sat beside the fireplace, laying across the thick, looped rug as she stared at the twists of flames spluttering and flickering. It felt like Hades had been gone for an eternity, she felt the sense of impending doom constantly linger around her waiting for the moment that she would be summoned to Hades side. She looked over at Killian limping around the room, wearing down the marble with how many times he had gone back and forth thinking out loud and muttering to himself.

“You said you escaped last time, how did you manage to get water from the River of Souls?” Killian questioned again, Nadri sighing. She regretted telling him about her previous escape, he was hell bent on trying to find a way out of this place. She couldn’t blame him however, he promised her that he would try and get her out with his friends so she had to comply with helping work out a plan. It was difficult to try and mull over old plans and then knowing that Hades would have placed new defences to make sure that she wouldn’t be able to escape the same way again.

“It was difficult, a friend helped but I’m not sure if he even moved on or not. I’m convinced he just wanted me to taste freedom before locking me away again.” Nadri replied as she pulled herself up from the warm rug as opposed to the cold stone floors. “Your friends might find us before we find them.” She felt weak, the power continuing to drain from her around the clock.

“That’s if we succeed in getting those damn bonds broken.” Killian retorted, finally stopping his pacing and moving around to the table in the room, leaning against it as he looked down at the woman on the ground. He held his ribs gingerly, still feeling the agony and broken bones beneath his skin. The adrenaline had to wear off eventually.

“I wish there was something I could do.” Nadri bit her lip, watching with shame as Killian gingerly moved around. She could have healed him with Dragon magic to stop his ongoing pain, the curses on her bonds kept her from being able to conjure even the easiest of spells. Killian was thankful for the concern.

“What about those?” He said referring to her bracelets uneasily.

“Magical ties are easy to break with the right ingredients. These are obsidian however.” Nadri clinked her wrists together. “They heavily weaken dragon magic.”

“What kind of magic can reverse the spell?”

“The same magic in which it was created - dark. That and anyone who can read ancient Dragon language. I’ve only known restraints since I was born to the mountain. If I could get my magic back entirely then the restraints can be broken.”

_‘Great, more dark magic’_

Killian thought to himself, sighing. He was sick of being around dark magic. He thought he was doing Emma a favour by taking the power of the Dark Ones but it was still haunting him. Hades, dark magic, Emma coming to the Underworld to bring him back all resorted down the original reason they were there. He wanted away from Hades reign of terror and he promised this woman a way out. He had to do that. She took on compassion for him, thoughtfulness even though she had been through more torture than he did in the short time he was there. He had to do it for Nadri at least.

“Killian.” Nadri spoke, watching him as he delved further into his thoughts. “Killi?” She said suddenly again, pulling Killian away from his thoughts. He snapped out of it and looked at, paying attention again. It was almost as if she was listening to him the whole time, she was trying to read him silently.

“Sorry, love.” He sighed deeply, Killian muttered, sick of the world throwing more plot twists at him.

  
“The candles were lit but no one was home.” Nadri made light of it and received a matching smile from Killian.

“I suppose we should be thankful we’re alone.” He said without thinking, witnessing Nadri’s cheeks burn a deep pink.

He made her blush.

“Because of Hades.” Killian attempted to cover up but Nadri couldn’t help but sheepishly smile. It was the first, real smile he had seen from the woman. It was beautiful, enlightening. He couldn’t understand how such a conflicted soul could still have a beautiful radiance.

“He comes and goes, I’m often left _naalein_.” Nadri was used to the lonely silence over the years, remembering Hades wanted to keep her bound to one room where he frequented in and out of the realm multiple times a day. “But usually not like this.” She ran a hand over the front of her body, fingers tracing the exposed skin. “I think this was for your benefit.” Nadri replied anxiously, knowing how it sounded when it came out of her mouth. As innocently as she was trying to say it, Hades did not want it to sound that way.

Hades wanted the sight of her to lure him in a false sense of security but Nadri had fought Hades at every turn.

“I don’t always get distracted by a beautiful woman.” Killian quipped without thinking, his eyes glued to her hand that rested in the middle of her bodice. A nervous waiting silence came between them.

‘ _Did I really just say that_?’ Killian slapped himself internally.

“As opposed to a gnarly dragon?” Nadri innocently pondered.

“I’ve been in the presence of dragons before, love.”

“Well, at least you can still see beauty in this bruised face.” Nadri quietly said, trying not to allow the crimson to flood her cheeks anymore. She cleared her throat, attempting to change the subject. “Your friends. Any of them wield dark magic on the off-chance?”

“Regina…” Killian trailed off and Nadri cocked an eyebrow. “The Evil Queen. She has some serious kick-arse magic that could get those off. It’s our best chance.” Nadri winced, feeling a tugging at her soul.

“The Evil Queen? What kind of _suleyksejun_ did you come from?” Nadri baffled, confused. She had never heard of this man in her realm or even the Evil Queen. She came from the magic lands of the Asari, inhabited with all kinds of creatures. The people were humans, dwarves and proud elves, only one ruler stood above the rest and it was no woman.

She cracked her neck, feeling uncomfortable as she stretched out her back. She felt the sudden burn inside as if her insides were beginning to be pulled out of her. Nadri gasped at the sudden feeling, the burning sensation beginning to creep up down her skin and down to her wrists where the obsidian scorched into her sink.

“Nadri?” Killian swooped to her side, wincing and frowning, flooded with concern. She had gone pale as a sheet, the binds around her wrists burning hot.

“I’m fighting it.” She hoarsely whispered, refusing to let Hades bring her to him. She imagined herself pulling on the rope in a tug-of-war, trying to win.

“What is it, Nadri?” Killian’s voice full of alarm as she grabbed his arm, squeezing and whimpering.

“He’s trying to bring me to him.” Killian held her hand as she grunted in distress, it felt as if her soul was on fire. She broke into a cold sweat, refusing the apparition. “I need to go, I can’t hold it much longer. Find the scroll, it is here, hidden.” Nadri clung onto Killian’s hand as hard as she could, afraid of letting go.

“I’ll find you, Nadri.” Killian promised, the hand he was holding disappearing into a cloud of red and black smoke until her touch and warmth completely disappeared leaving him begging to the air for her presence to come back.


	5. LAHIIK

_Nadri was Nathaniel’s prisoner for months, she went from being one of the most powerful magical beings on the planet to being made into a mere mortal woman. A magician came to her in the night, conjuring dark forces and evil upon her chains to keep her enslaved to the one who betrayed her so deeply. He used her magic to conjure demons out of the darkness, making him Nadri do everything and anything that he wished. He could make her turn into her draconic form at will and make her do anything he wanted as long as he held the power within her jewel._

_Nadri spent her nights in the dungeons of the Asari keep, beyond the pair of worn statues lied a narrow, humid room. It was covered in ash, large bones and rubble from the battle, now it became Nadri’s home. Her wrists were bound with the enchanted bonds that were linked with her power, making it impossible to free herself. In the day-time Nathaniel would drag her into the throne hall to serve all of his possible needs. She couldn’t shake the feeling of ultimate betrayal, feeling the rage and anger consume her every time she was brought to Nathaniel’s presence._

_The only way she could be free was to meet death and that’s the one thing that Nathaniel had refused to do. After he proclaimed that Nadri was no longer of use to him, he couldn’t muster the strength to slit her throat when he knew that her death could come at a great cost. Time was ticking on, one day he would make sure she was gone and all the power would be his without feat._

_He just needed to find out exactly what the price of the deed was._

The forest was enormous, misty, and flourishing. It extended for several miles throughout the Underworld, Nadri often wondered why Hades had placed such a beautiful forest in such a terrible place. Its canopy was reigned by oak, cedar, and magnolia trees, it allowed the sunlight to shimmer through branches dominate the leaf covered grounds, grass and wild flowers growing below A mishmash of beastly noises, which were caused by small creatures, filled the air, and were backed by the swaying of tree tops in the wind.

Nadri was summoned directly in the middle of it, she felt the crunchy autumn leaves and grains of dirt between her bare toes. It had been a long time since she felt the warmth of the sun across her skin and breathing in the crisp, fresh air. She took a moment, taking in a deep breath as she finally felt the tug on her soul disappear. It felt like it her soul had been grabbed by a vicious, dark evil and dragged to its source, as soon as she gave in the feeling of relief washed over her like waves of a calm sea.

The young woman looked ahead, a gentle breeze combing through her hair, blowing gently the bottom of her shoulders as her eyes met with Hades own darkened ones. The moment of freedom ceased when she realised the true meaning of why she was here.

“You took your time.” Hades commented, crossing his arms over the chest of his suit, the sun glowing down on the God. “Fighting it that much, Nadri? Why don’t you just give in?”

“I’ve been a _zaam_ to the King before being a _zaam_ to you, Hades.” Nadri remembered, brushing herself down, pulling her dress up as she stepped forward, careful not to catch it on the branches and thorny plants trying to grab at her. “I still have some humanity from this life as a _vahdin_.” Her words were full of poison towards Hades, pure hatred for the man keeping her captive. “Why couldn’t you just have let me go free? Why do you need to continue my suffering?”

“Because it’s so much fun watching you ache for freedom.” Hades snapped just as loudly as she did, his words rippling through the forest and Nadri stopped in her tracks. “You can’t expect to live as a slave and then be free in the afterlife. You are too powerful to go free, don’t you get that? Why do you think your pathetic excuse for a King killed you not realising the price of his bargains?” Hades moved from the tree slowly and picked up his cane before carefully walking up to Nadri, careful of the rabbit holes and uneven ground of the forest.

“Power hungry _jul_ do not understand the consequences of their agreement. What makes you think you would not be included?” Hades halted in front of her, leaning over his cane down at Nadri’s short frame. Hades towered high while Nadri only stood at 5’3, Nathaniel asked for this purely for the purpose to make her look as harmless as possible yet in her dragon form she was compared to the size of a two bedroom house.

“I am no man, Nadri.” Hades flashed a pearly white smile. “I have big plans for you little one.” The older man told her, straightening back up again before holding his hand out before a twirl of bright blue smoke transformed into Nadri’s gemstone in the centre of his palm. Nadri could only assume that Hades had found something to order her to do and it wouldn’t matter how hard she tried saying no. The strength to continue to defy orders was becoming less and less.

“I have a job for you.”

“What now, do I need to go throw some souls into the Pit?” Nadri bitterly retorted back, placing her hands on her hips. Hades gritted his teeth, frustrated. She was really trying to get on his bad side, what was she expecting? If she annoyed him enough then he would take apart her soul, obliterate her to the beyond? It didn’t work like that with Hades. He wouldn’t let her leave so easily. “Burn the souls in their cells?”

“Not quite. Hook’s friends are beginning to unnerve me.” Hades spoke with a distasteful tone. “I’d like to think I can trust you enough to find them.” Hades said simple enough for her to obey. Nadri felt the power ready to pull and swallow her, it tugged within her, trying to lure her into the darkness further. “Even if you have to make them permanent residents.”

Raising his hand and flicking his fingers towards Nadri, the dark rags that once clung to her body slowly transformed into a long sleeved, black coat wrapped around her body tightly, dragon-scaled armour plates across the shoulders of her coat. Her slender legs were covered in a tight legging-like material. Nadri looked down at herself, feeling the new material brush against her skin, running her fingers along the scaled cuffs of her coat. The bangled still dazzled on her wrists and she internally sighed.

“As much as I _love_ to see you in that dress, I thought you’d appreciate something you can fight in.” Hades almost sounded as if he was doing Nadri a favour, taking away the perverse undertone.

“Don’t buy me with your feigned kindness.” Nadri bit back, approaching Hades. Her feet were now covered with thigh-high suede boots with lace woven at the back of her legs to keep them tight. It had been many years since she had felt the comfortable fabric of shoes for a very short period of time. “This fire will burn always.” She promised him and Hades reached up, expecting Nadri to flinch as he brushed a loose strange of curled hair behind her ear, only for her stone expression to hold on her face.

“I plan on snuffing it out.” Hades held his hand against her face, crooking his head to see that her wounds were starting to heal and the bruising easing up. “Sooner or later.” His thumb gently brushed over her lip, leaving a tingling cold on the flesh. “Enjoy this powerful sentiment that you have found while it lasts, Nadri. I can imagine the pirate has stirred some fight within you.” Nadri felt his words uneasy to hear, his voice icy and cruel. He wasn’t completely wrong. Killian had given Nadri a reason not to give up so easily, he had a way out of this hellhole and Nadri wanted to desperately help him. He didn’t deserve to be trapped to this afterlife being beaten and threatened to be thrown into the Pit. If he could get out, she could too.

  
“We have work to do.”

Hades brought the smoke and shadows together, binding them and placing them in another location of the Underworld. The old mine tunnels were as the arteries of the earth, blackened by the abuse of years. They went on and on into the black without and end in sight or possibility of sunlight, tracks to nowhere that lead only to the cold. The walls were dimly lit by sconces, the low light struggling to light their space that Nadri and Hades appeared into.

“Why am I standing in a wet cave?” Nadri shot point blank, hearing the dripping falling from the stalactites that grew from the ceilings of the caves. She looked around, the caves wet with moisture from the environment, feeling uncomfortable in the confined space.

“Our visitors are here. Cerberus managed to sniff them out. At least one of my pets are obedient.” Nadri refused the urge to roll her eyes heavily back. Nadri was becoming fed up with Hades boring her ear off about obedience and loyalty. She had already heard this several times before and not from Hades.

Hades began walking down the cave, whistling a tune as he went. Nadri shadowed behind him, the growls and barks of Cerberus echoed against the cave walls. They turned a corner, Nadri watching out of the rocks that she had to step over to keep up with Hades’ fast past. They were greeted with the evil, vicious fiend snarling at four terrified individuals in the dark cave.

Cerberus had three women and taller, more muscular man pinned up, cowering against a cave wall. The shortest woman of the two had a dark pixie cut, her arm drawn back on her bow ready to shoot an arrow straight through Cerberus’ eye but the monstrous dog did not flinch at having the weapon pointed at one of his faces.

A very pretty blonde stood with them, she held a determined energy within her, and Nadri could feel her strength emitting. The other older lady next to her had a furiously intent look, her lips were painted with bright red lipstick and Nadri could see in her aura she was ready to kick someone’s ass. The gentleman…well…Nadri had already met this soul before. His strong body, chiselled good looks and combed back almost gold-like hair was a face from many stories and the face of her accomplice in her escape.

Hades whistled sharper at his pet, for it to instantly stop barking and snapping near to their faces. The four of them only slightly relaxed when the animal started to back away from them, still on guard at the sight of the two newcomers to the cave and already determined that neither of them were friendly.

“Who the hell are you?” The blonde woman came forward first, brushing the particles of stone and dust that had fallen upon her bright red jacket. She looked worn out, dark circles underneath her eyes from severe lack of sleep and unbearable stress.

“Is it not obvious?” Hades scoffed, opening his arms out to show himself off like a prized horse, turning around on the spot slowly with a prideful grin.

“My uncle.” Nadri knew the voice of Hercules. She knew his story well but did not know where he went when he entered this realm. His bright, god-like beaming blue eyes laid on Nadri, troubled. He had hope for her once, hoping that she was free from Hades for the last time, hoping that she had finally found her unfinished business. “Nadri.” Hercules nodded at Nadri, swallowing hard with shame on his face.

“Herc, what are you doing here?” Nadri reached out for him, feeling overwhelmed with emotion at the sight of him. She couldn’t believe that she had not seen him for centuries being the last time Nadri had met Hercules she was escaping out of the backdoor of Hades’ keep and Hercules was making sure she had a safe exit into the depths of the castle beyond everyone’s eyes. Hades immediately brought his cane up to the front of her body, slapping it against her suddenly and stopping her from going any further.

“Did you forget our discussion?” Hades lowly growled, Nadri groaning and hissing in pain as she felt the cane hitting the bruises that he had inflicted along her body. They looked at her with multiple confused expressions, Hercules stepping forward with concern for Nadri.

“Uncle, please.” Hercules begged. “She doesn’t deserve this.” He shook his head, wanting to reach out and embrace Nadri in his arms.

“Oh, don’t you start!” Hades slapped his cane onto the ground in rage. “’Uncle please.’” Hades whined, mimicking a pathetic version of Hercules voice before pointing towards Nadri. “You helped her escape for a pathetic crush, you lost me my servant.” Hades started to erupt, looking at Hercules as if he stared at him long enough then he would disintegrate.

“Herc-“

  
“If you speak one more word, I will hurt you a lot _fucking_ more.” Hades gravelly growled underneath his breath, his eyes darting at Nadri as she had spoken Hercules’ name. She knew he meant it, he was growing continuously fed up with her insubordination and it didn’t matter how many times he had beaten her on his throne room floor, how many times he tortured her or how many times he had used her she still managed to find that voice inside to make her keep going.

She wasn’t breaking.

“Hold on a minute. Your uncle is…” The blonde knitted her eyebrows together, confused.

“-Hades?” The oldest woman yelled in utter disbelief, her eyes widening at realising who was standing in their presence. Nadri noticed that it wasn’t the tone of gratefulness, but one of hatred and dread, something they obviously had in common with each other.

“Don't look so surprised, Regina.” Hades leant forward on his cane. Nadri pressed her lips together, trying not to blurt out anything that could get her sent down into the Pit by Hades. Was this the Regina that Killian had spoken about? She was desperate for them to listen to her thoughts, hear the truth and see that she wasn’t on Hades’ side. “Who'd you think was in charge of this place... your mommy?”

“Well, if this is your realm, maybe you can answer a few questions.” Regina crossed her arms over her chest defensively, Cerberus being ordered to come away from the group entirely by Hades, whistling at him. “Another tortured soul to do your bidding?” Nadri couldn’t help but think to herself that this woman didn’t look anything like an Evil Queen, she was also wearing a lot more modern clothes than what Killian was wearing.

“You’ve not met my pet. This is Nadri, she’s harmless. Well, in the right hands she is.” The four of them looked closely at Nadri, she may have been wearing scaled armour but she looked like the shell of a sunken woman. Only Hercules knew the true power that Nadri hold, the others just stared at her as if she was a mere mortal woman who held absolutely no relevance to life. “Nadri, darling, you can talk now.” He looked between the woman and then back to Nadri, who cleared her throat and forced a smile on her lips.

“ _Drem yol lok.”_ She greeted, her teeth were so grit together that she may as well have been crunching her teeth together, uncomfortable in Hades presence.

“Pet? You have this poor woman enslaved as a pet?” The one who previously held a bow and arrow had it lowered, looking at Nadri with a face of absolute heartbreak for the slave.

“This is lovely Cora’s daughter, Regina. And these two…Snow White and Emma Swan....The Saviour.” Hades’ voice was riddled with distain. This was the group that had come to find Killian, prepared to do whatever it takes to bring him out of this realm and back to the living. Nadri had to get a message across to Regina while she still could and let Killian know that his rescuers were coming for him. The first time escaping was easier, she didn’t have anyone depending on her and if she was put in the Pit then she could do it without leaving consequences.

“Why does this hell-hole look like Storybrooke?” Regina put a hand on her hip, frowning at Hades. Nadri cocked an eyebrow, still silent, all she had known was this realm and how it came to be.

“I have my reasons, and I don't have to share them with you.” Hades suddenly stifled his venomous words and quips, a conversation he was not willing to divulge. Nadri raised an eyebrow at her master, this didn’t have anything to do with that wicked witch, did it? Nadri remembered Hades returning to the Underworld after a long stint of roaming around on Earth, a place called Kansas, and he came back a more heartbroken and murderous fiend that before, anger overtaking him every night that he would hit and break Nadri until her soul was almost entirely depleted. Nadri heard only fables of the Wicked Witch of the West, but did not think she existed. No wonder the Underworld started going under serious construction when he had come back to the realm.

“Uncle why are you doing this?” Hercules brought his courage back up after being shut down by Hades previously.

“There's that famous courage people love to talk about.” Hades rolled his eyes with jealousy, bored of Hercules behaviour, bored of his existence all together. “Hercules, did you really think you could face Cerberus again?”

“Again?” Mary Margret came forward, looking up at Hercules seemingly confused and hurt. Hades gasped dramatically. “You mean he didn't tell you?”

“Cerberus killed you.” Snow confirmed, her voice almost sounding like it was breaking.

“Well, it's nothing to be ashamed of, nephew. After all, losing your life to my little pet is what finally brought us together as family.” Hades widened his arms, leering. “I’ve got Nadri back on my side now.”

“We're not afraid of you.” Snow snapped at the God, only for him to laugh at her attempt to try and intimidate him.

  
“Oh you should be.” Hades ceased the laughter, his voice dark and deadly serious towards the group. “My nephew said you were a spitfire, but trust me, you should be quite afraid of me because the next time you interfere with my family, I will come after yours.”

“Bring it. We're not gonna rest until we find Hook.” Emma finally spoke again, stepping closer to Hades. Hades simply laughed at her trying to act tough in his presence, he already had enough of that from Nadri to keep him on his toes.

  
“Captain Hook and Nadri are occupying the same floor, quite an attractive couple really.” Hades spoke, Nadri’s face burning with embarrassment and anger. Emma looked towards Nadri, confused as if she had just been found out as the ‘other woman’. “You should see them, it’s all puppy dog eyes and ‘ _I’ll never let go Jack_ ’ moments. It’s cute.” Hades mimicked Rose, from the Titanic film, as Killian to Nadri. Nadri’s face burned further, red flushing through her cheeks and the tips of her ears. Was he watching them the entire time, how could he be able to pull off such a trick? The guards were outside of the room and Hades had disappeared leaving them entirely alone.

“You know Killian?” The Saviour spoke, Emma squinting her eyes at Nadri. Nadri tried to croak out words but Hades held his hand up, only for everything she tried to say come out as muffled words as if someone was actually holding their hand over her face.

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll give you this.” Hades slipped his hand into his suit jacket, pulling out Killian’s hook that he had roughly twisted off from him before he left the room. It was splattered with blood, his friends looking devastated at the sight. Emma snatched it away from him, her eyes wide at the capabilities that had happened.

  
“What have you done to him?”

“It's not what I've already done you should worry about now. It's what I'm about to do.” Hades turned to Nadri, flicking his hand and with a puff of dark smoke around her hand, a very long, wide, smooth blade made of silver is held by a grip wrapped in rare, red goat leather appeared. Nadri looked down, observing the sharp blade, such a weapon would slice, dice, stab enemies and shred whatever's left of them. “Darling, I want you to keep our new friends busy, I’ve got business to take care of.” She felt the power emitting from the cuffs on her wrists, feeling the surge of control overwhelming her body, her hands shaking.

  
“Uncle, don’t!” Hercules shouted at his relative, pleading with him as he watched Nadri try and fight back at the control. “Don’t use her.”

  
“Oh Herc, I play to use her how I like. Nadri, if you please.” Hades disappeared into the flames of smoke with Cerberus and left Nadri alone, raising the sword in front of her, correcting her stance and preparing to strike.

“Nadri-“

  
“I’m sorry Herc."


	6. MULAAG

_The dragon laid across the hoard of diamonds, sparkling gold coins, chests of jewels and jewellery. It snored heavily, with every breath it puffed the coins across the hills of gold that had been buried within the mountain. Dragons have no apparent use for the treasure, they cannot spend, wear or process it. More often than not, they don't do anything beyond brood over or sleep on their treasure. Nadri however had been enslaved by the long reigning King Merek to watch over and guard his treasures._

_Nadri the Lonely One had been enslaved to this mountain after she had been stolen as an egg. She was raised in the mountain, the chains and collar around the dragon’s neck had been enchanted from the moment that Nadri was able to fly around the fortress. Anyone who had ventured into the mountain will ill intentions had been met with a fiery death or dragged to the dungeons of the King’s Keep._

_Nadri’s ear picked up the clings of the coins rolling around the mounds, her eye fluttering open to see someone creeping behind a chest of gold and weapons trying to silent as he could. Her eye watched as he cursed to himself, quietly lifting the lid of the chest as he continued unbeknownst to him that he was being watched. His grey dreadlocks had been pulled back and tied up with a piece of thick string, piercing blue eyes searching frantically through the box._

_Nadri swished her tail out from underneath the coins and sparkling treasures, frightening the adventurer as he yelped when the tip of her tail wrapped around his leg tightly. She hoisted him up, the rest of her body uncovering from the gold and he struggled like a rag doll as he hung upside down. She brought him down to eye level, her teeth gleaming brightly as she snarled at him._

_“ **You dare attempt to steal, joor?”**_ A deep rumbling voice asked him as he tried to wiggle free as he hung upside down. _His long sleeved, velvety jacket covered him to well above his knees and is barely tied with string at the bottom right side._ _The jacket has a deep, round neckline which reveals part of the noble shirt worn below it. **“You do not look like a tafiir.”**_

****

_“P-Please, I wasn’t stealing treasure.” He pleaded and begged, still struggling as Nadri’s tail held him tightly._

_  
“ **Nokin.”** The dragon shook its head, watching the man struggle and panic. **“Joorr do not come here to do anything else.”**_

****

_“I wasn’t stealing! Put me down!” Nadri let out a ground-shaking laugh._

“ ** _Why are you here?”_**

****

“ _I’m here for you! I’m here to free you!” The man dropped from above, yelling out as he hit the hoard of treasure, hitting the gold with a thud. Nadri brought herself down, the man visibly gulping._

_  
“ **Oh really now? Why would you do such a thing?”** Nadri was under the impression the man was joking, causing a distraction to try and escape. She laid her tail over the top of him as he still laid on his back within the treasure, struggling to breathe as she weighed on him._

_“I want to kill the King.”_

“You all need to leave, right now!” Nadri made a hard strike towards Emma, only for her to just about to duck out of the way before the blade caught her. Emma tried to kick her back but Nadri caught her ankle and pushed up, Emma landing on the cave floor with a grunt, the rocks sticking into her back uncomfortably. Nadri brought the point down to Emma’s head, again Emma rolling out of the way with a lucky dodge.

“Are you crazy?!” Emma screeched at Nadri, scrambling away from Nadri as she moved quickly towards her.

  
“I can’t stop it.” Nadri spoke breathlessly, swinging the sword down to catch Emma again, only for Regina to collide with Nadri and shoving her down onto the ground. Nadri tumbled away with a roll before pulling herself up quick enough to grab the sword again and swish it around. “You must leave.” She reiterated desperately.

“She can’t control it can she?” Emma looked up to Regina.

“The _raaviir_ is trying to find a way to free me from my bonds.” Nadri spoke of the pirate, feeling the burn inside of her chest deepening the longer she didn’t fight. Regina and Emma both looked up at her, bewildered. “He spoke of an Evil Queen with dark magic that can help.” Nadri fought internally as she could but couldn’t help but swing the sword, as Snow raised her bow and arrow, loading an arrow as Hercules shoved the weapon out of her hands and it hit the ground.

  
“It’s not her.” Hercules angrily spoke to Snow, the next to come into line of Nadri swinging the sword in his direction.

“ _Zu'u los krosis_.” Nadri apologised, bringing the blade up to Hercules, him catching the edge of the point and clutching it tightly. Blood seeped and dripped from his hand as the blade dug into his skin, ripping it open. “Herc, please.” She cried to him, so desperately wanting them all to leave the cave.

“This isn’t you. Fight back!” Hercules told her, clutching the sword and even beginning to breaking a sweat. She still had tremendous strength with the blade Hades had conjured, he must have enchanted it to only do what it needed to.  
  
“What does Hook want us to do?” Regina questioned her, both of them bringing themselves up from the ground.

“Herc!” Nadri spat, Hercules pushing the hilt back into her, hitting her in the face and she fell back onto the cave floor. Her head hung low, blood now beginning to piss out of her nose as well as her mouth.

  
“Nadri, please. Don’t let Hades control you.”

“He can control my power and my bonds.” Nadri brought the strength back together and flipped herself back up, going to grab the blade but Emma managed to kick her down, bringing her boot up into Nadri’s face. Nadri spat down blood on the floor, wondering if she had cracked. Emma grabbed the sword, pulling it away from Nadri only for it to suddenly form into small dust particles. The sand ran through her hands as she looked back up at Nadri wildly. “I don’t need weapons to fight.” Nadri pulled herself back up and shouted, words of an ungodly form, and the four of them suddenly being shoved back through the air and landing into the cave wall, small crumbling stone pieces falling from the ceiling. “I need my power.” She breathed out heavily, watching them all as they fell into the ground.

“For you to come back and kill us?” Regina yelled, struggling to get herself back up from the ground after the incredible blow to the boulder.

“Leave, she won’t stop until she’s ordered to.” Hercules stood up first, bringing himself in front of the other women. “I know what she’s talking about, I’ll find you later.” Nadri ran up to Hercules, jumping up and wrapping her legs around the man’s neck, twisting her body to bring him down onto the ground. Nadri pinned him but the demigod was a lot stronger than the dragon, grabbing her body as she was still wrapped around him and slammed her body into the ground, smacking the back of her skull on to the ground for her to cry out.

Snow, Regina and Emma managed to slip away unscathed as Hercules straddled Nadri’s body, grabbing her wrists and pinning her down to the ground with all the strength he could bring.

“Wake up Nadri!” He shouted down at her as she desperately wiggled. Hercules didn’t want to hurt her any more than he already did, her face had a crimson shield from the blood that had come from her mouth and nose. Hercules could see from the small exposed skin that was littered with bruises, both old and new. “Nadri please, I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You have to!”

“No! I freed you in the first place. I caused this.” She managed to get an arm free from Hercules’ grip, reaching up to his face, clawing, scratching and desperately trying to rip the skin from his face as if she was a starved wolf desperate to maim its prey.

  
“Do something.” She choked up, trying to kick at him from underneath. Nadri had to keep the fire going. She couldn’t give in, she couldn’t be a mindless slave again. Not again. “Please, do something.” Tears began to stream down her face, her voice and actions were completely unmatched. Her voice was full of sadness and desperation while her actions were forceful, violent and full of rage.

“We’ll free you, I promise.” Hercules grunted as Nadri dug and scratched her nails down his arms as his hands moved to her throat, constricting her breath. “Forgive me.” He pressed harder, Nadri’s vision beginning to cloud and blood flow restricting. Her bright eyes began to roll back into her head and her hands relaxed, her body suddenly going limp underneath Hercules’ hands.

* * *

  
  


Hades had day fuelled by torture and it only elated him further. It was like taking in a breath of fresh air, but the air being toxic and full of the screaming souls being whipped, beaten and confined by their worst fears. Leaving Nadri to deal with the group of the pirate’s friends was a part of the plan, his nephew cared for the dragon and knew that it would pull apart his soul to try and bring himself to fight against her.

Guards stormed through the throne room doors, Hades waiting patiently in his throne with his feet up on the stool receiving a pedicure from a lowly soul that he pulled into his domain. Killian stood next to the fire place, a hand laying on the mantle as he battled with his mind over trying to pull apart Hades right now while he could. Killian’s eyes looked up when the guards had brought Nadri in, her lifeless body being carried by one of the guards and he felt anxiety flush through him.

“My Lord.” The guard carrying Nadri spoke, Hades simply glanced over his shoulder over at the woman who was being carried bridal style. Her head was limp, her arm hanging down by her side. She looked at peace, as if she was under a sleeping curse. Killian brought himself away from the fire place, unknowing what to think, feel or act at seeing Nadri with fresh blood splattered all over face. “You requested your _pet_ back.”

  
“She is no pet!” Killian roared and Hades put two fingers up to him to silence him. Killian had been desperately waiting for her to come back, wondering if she was still in this realm or gone. Hades refused to acknowledge Killian since he had come back and now Nadri has been brought to him like this. She was covered in rock dust, blood, a bruise circled her milky white neck.

“Leave. All of you.” The guard brought the woman’s body and laid her down on the rug, her hair sprawled out underneath her head. Killian limped and carefully lowered himself down to see her, gently lifting her up so he could cradle her in his lap. He moved the sticky, bloodied hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear and softly stroked her hair.

The woman tending to Hades pedicure scuttled off as he sat himself and waltzed over to the man holding Nadri’s body in his arms.

  
“It seems-“ Hades finally broke the powering silence. “She would rather be unconscious than fight for her soul.” Hades peered over her as she slept. “I do prefer it when she’s silent.”

  
“Shut up!” He shouted out harshly towards Hades. “She didn’t want to hurt them.” Killian shook his head, not believing that Nadri would so easily be put down by his friends. He knew Nadri help powers stronger than that, if Hades had given her permission to fight then she would have always fought until she stopped breathing. “Can you hear me love?” He placed his only able hand on her face.

“If you don’t mind, I will need to go and be sick.” Hades quipped. “Let me know when Sleep Beauty is awake, I’ve got a lovely chore list for that lady.” With an eruption of smoke and flames, Hades was gone.

Killian traced her cheek, bringing his hand down to the collar of her coat, pushing it aside as he could see the black bruises formed into large hand prints that had throttled her. They were too big for Regina or Emma, even David. He gently shook Nadri again, movement beginning underneath her closed lids.

“Nadri? Love?” He said again, quieter. Nadri’s eyes sluggishly rolled open, barely able to focus on the pirate that was cradling her in his arms. Killian couldn’t help but grin with relief, no matter how much it ached his face. She was okay, was here still. Nadri finally focused her bloodshot eyes on Killian, Killian still unknowingly tickling her skin.

  
“I….” She gulped, just about able to talk. “I found….them.” Nadri breathed out heavily. “They….know….you’re okay.” Killian thanked his lucky stars that they knew he was okay, he just needed to make sure that they knew what the next moves were.

“Are they going to find a spell?”

“Regina…knows. I’m…sorry…Hades made me…fight. Herc had to…” She lifted her hand weakly, pointed towards her neck as she choked out a gasping wail. Tears fell from her eyes as she cried silently, pushing herself further into Killian’s chest. As uncomfortable and painful as it was to feel her shaking with sobs against him, Killian wrapped his arms around Nadri tightly as he could and kissed her forehead.

  
“It’s alright, darling.” Killian shushed, he didn’t want to let go of her and he wanted her to feel as safe as she could be within his arms. He didn’t want her to suffer any more, he didn’t want Hades to continue his reign of terror over her. Killian wanted to fight the Godly beast away every chance he got if it meant that Nadri could be free. He had to take her with him. He couldn’t leave her alone anymore.


	7. STIN

_Nadri was confined to golden chains around her throat and wrists as she sat next to the King’s throne. She watched the power-hungry Dragon Slayer pace the floors, his neckline littered with golden necklaces from Nadri’s hoard, his fingers covered with diamond and ruby rings as well as his crown that had now been re-detailed obsidian details woven throughout the crown making it impossible for someone of draconian to be able to place it upon their head._

_Nathaniel held his sword tautly in his hand, muttering madness to himself as he paced. Nadri looked up upon her King, waiting for him to finally take his ramblings out on his human slave. Nathaniel turned around to the young woman in her lengthy purple dress, flowing down the steps eerily._

_“You can’t have all the power for yourself.” Nathaniel was jittery, the golden sickness overwhelming him and taking over his mind. The disease was known to weary travelers who had not experienced such a wealth, eventually driving them insane and off the mountain to suicide. “I won’t let you.”_

_“My King…you have all of my suleyk. Only you can control my power in this form.”_

_  
“Liar!” Nathaniel looked down at Nadri with crazed, deluded eyes. He raised his sword up to her, mimicking his stance from the last fit he had thrown from a few weeks ago. “He promised me all of your power. The Dark One promised…” Nadri hitched her breath as she cowered next to the throne, the sword coming closer and closer to her body before she felt the point resting against her neck and travelled down to her chest, the point cutting the skin as it went and slicing the scaled material that just covered her breasts. “I need your heart.”_

_“Please, Nathaniel. The gold has driven you vorohah. It is making you sick.” The point of the blade pushed further, blood dripping down Nadri’s neck and down her chest, soaking her dress once again with the crimson liquid._

_“It’s not enough.” Nathaniel wasn’t listening, it had driven him off the edge. “I need your heart.”_

_“The price-“ Nadri choked on the air she was breathing, feeling the blade squelch through her chest with a shove against the pommel of the blade. Nadri tried to grab the blade that was sticking into her chest, the chains around her wrists clinking together as she sputtered and poured blood from her mouth._

_The world seemed to spin around her and a sharp, throbbing pain took hold of them, so much so that all she wanted to do was vomit and hope the pain would come out with it._ _Blood, there's blood everywhere. It's drenched Nadri’s clothes, they're sticky and heavy and red. Red, everything is red, even the ground below her is turning red with blood._

_  
“Nath…aniel…” She choked on her own blood, Nathaniel unsheathing the blade from her own chest. Nathaniel watched the life evaporate from Nadri, her life force dissolving into the air. With one last breath Nadri laid on the stone floor, her eyes that were once bright with galaxies molding together were now lifeless, dull and a fading grey-purple._

_She was dead, just like that. All of the fight, the fire lit deep inside her had been put out just like that._

_He had done it, he was able to steal the dragon’s heart. Nathaniel chucked his sword aside, straddling Nadri’s body as he prepared to pull her heart from her chest. That was until he felt the searing shooting pain impaling him through the chest, gasping and choking on thin air. He grabbed at his chest, only for nothing to be causing the pain. He panicked, Nathaniel choking with growing blood-shot eyes. Nathaniel felt his chest completely fold on itself and it was almost as if his heart had stopped all together and he fell to the ground on top of Nadri._

* * *

Nadri fell asleep out of her own free will, snoring quietly in Killian’s arms as opposed to shaking the building as her draconic counter-part. Hades had not yet returned which Killian was thankful for, he wanted Nadri to feel peace and to be able to slowly heal now. Killian spent moments staring down at the woman who had made herself comfortable against his chest, he would wonder about her life before she died. She started in this world as a terrible beast to be locked away in the body of a woman, was all she knew really being under someone else’s’ thumb the whole time?

Killian leaned against the wall next to the fireplace, barely able to keep himself awake as the stinging pain bit as his face, his eye still swollen shut and blood now stained to his skin like red wine. Hours has past, the torment of the day and drained through her as did it him as well but the thought of sleeping was the last thing he wanted to do with Nadri at peace in his lap.

Killian listened to the blue crystal waters of the flowing river running around the room, as Nadri stirred, her eyes blinking open slowly.

  
“It’s alright, I’m still here.” Killian moved the hair away from her eyes, helping her sit up carefully as she rubbed her eyes.

“I’m…so sorry, Killy.” Nadri muttered, combing through her hair with her fingers to neaten it as she cleared her throat, Killian staring at her with a weak smile. He was still in agony and barely able to move.

  
“You were content and snoring your head off, love.” Killian held a small, heart-warming smile, something that he could tell warmed Nadri further when her cheeks went a further deep red. It was adorable, something he would have teased her on in the Land of the Living. “How are you feeling?” He looked down at her, his arm still against her back as she woke herself up.

“I should be asking you that. You look worse, _raaviir_.”

  
“Hades knocked the handsome out of me.”

“ _Vokorasaal._ ” Nadri shook her head, exhaling with a bashful smile.

“Is that your way of saying that’s true?” The pirate joked and Nadri couldn’t help but let out a lilted laugh, something that had almost shook Killian at until now it was the first time she had found something genuine enough to laugh about. “Where is the _sil naakin_?” Nadri sighed, exhausted with her voice full of impending dread. Her face washed over with agony and stress as opposed to beautiful, rested, peaceful face while she slept.

It was nice while it lasted.

“Is that an insult?” Killian scratched the back of his head, unsure of her words.

“Soul eater sounds appropriate for him. Where is he?” Her throat was still sore, her words coming out slightly raspy. She moved away from the pirate, the space filling with the cold air instead of her warm body.

“He’s been gone since before you woke up. You needed to sleep.” She could barely keep herself awake, she was suffering from exhaustion, and her wounds weren’t healing from the amount of blows and hits she had taken to her body over the past day. “Nadri…” Killian had spoken her name before he knew what he wanted to say to her. She looked up at him, her great big purple eyes ready to swallow him whole.

“Yes, _Ruveyzun_?” Nadri waited with patience even knowing what was waiting her beyond the foreboding doors but she still sat there in front of Killian to listen what he had to say. The word for Captain sounded beautiful in her mother tongue, the way she said it made it made the foreign word roll right off her tongue. He had heard the rippling words of her voice as a _Dovah,_ a dragon’s voice would always send chills up his spine. But he listened to her talking as the woman he had grown to know, her voice was so sedating he could have fallen asleep to it.

“Killian?” Nadri whispered again, Killian bringing his hand up to her face to caress her healing bruises but Nadri flinched away.

  
“I’m not going to hurt you. Trust me.” Killian rested his hand on hers like he had done when they had first met. Nadri looked back up at him and she pulled his hand away, bringing it back up to lightly touch the skin of her cheek. Her hand held his against her face, feeling and embracing his warmth. He closed the space between them and Killian ever so slightly pressed his lips against her own.

Nadri was unsure at first after being previously betrayed by sudden affection but she couldn’t help but close her eyes and press her lips back to his. It was forgiving, devoted, the sort of kiss that you would share with someone wanting that person to feel the incredible overwhelming emotion that you had for them and savoring every part of it.

The kiss only lasted for a few moments and Killian rested his forehead against Nadri’s. Her eyes were still closed for half a second afterwards, Killian wanting to let his charming smile rule his face as he could see he left her breathless but decided in better judgment. She had never experienced such a kiss so tender, so innocent. Killian rested his forehead against hers, Nadri gave him a sad smile.

“Killy…”

“Well.” Killian and Nadri jumped at hearing Hades voice appear into the room, not noticing that he had appeared moments ago in a spiral of flames and smoke. “I focus on business elsewhere and I come back to see my prisoners getting busy in my domain.” Nadri moved herself away from Killian, the warmth disappearing. “It’s nice to see you’re still with us, Nadri.” Hades walked into the room with a fiery aura, he was angry, shaking with rage. He looked over her once before his eyes landed back down to Killian.

“Hades, please.” Nadri said, shaking her head. Hades laughing out loud, wiggled his finger at her, implicating he wasn’t talking to her this time. Killian looked up at Hades as he crouched down to his eye level, clutching Nadri’s hand as she moved further away from Hades presence out of fear for what would happen next. He was barely holding onto her hand at this point but he wasn’t going to let her go, he refused to let her go with Hades again even if it meant him getting hurt further.

  
“The prisoner you aided in escape... she moved on from this realm.” His voice was laced with disappointment, distain and disgust. It was dark, lowly toned when he growled at Killian. “They _killed_ Cerberus.” Hades eyes flickered to Nadri. “ _You_ tried to help them break your bonds.” Killian looked at Nadri’s face, he could see her eyes fill with excitement and amazement at hearing the words they had taken down Cerberus and souls had moved on.

Did that mean that Hercules managed to move on too?

“Find it funny do you?” Hades hissed, reprimanding. “Did you think that the Evil Queen would free you from this human form?” Killian had hoped desperately they could have found a way by now for Nadri’s freedom, Killian wanted to pummel Hades’ face into the ground with every ounce of strength he had left, he’d find more if he could.

“I told you before Hades, this fire will always burn.” Hades suddenly produced a chiseling tool within his hand from a puff of smoke.

“Get on with it, then.” Killian cut in, trying to keep the attention away from Nadri. 

“Oh, this? This isn't for you. It's for your friends.” He laughed bitterly, pulling Killian’s hand from Nadri’s roughly and forcing the sharp object in his palm. Hades stood up, leaving Killian baffled.

“What in the bloody hell am I supposed to do with this?” Killian moved the object around with his hand, studying it.

“Simple accounting, really. At first, I wanted your friends to leave. I really had such a smooth-running operation going here before they arrived, but now I've decided they've caused too much damage, so my vindictive side... Did you know I have one? It wants to punish them. So, from now on, for every soul your friends free, one of them is going to have to stay. And, Captain... you get to decide who.” Hades explained to Killian and Killian stared down at the chisel, conflicted. Hades brought his magic together, summoning three gravestones in front of them that were waiting to be fixed.

“Killy-“

“You do not get to speak.” Hades shouted suddenly, making them both jump. “Your punishment is on my to-do list, trust me woman. You’ve been adding fuel to this fire. I want to crush your pathetic existence, Nadri. It’s just a shame with such dark power comes a whiny, little bitch.” Killian felt helpless as Hades roared at the woman in the corner, wanting to embrace her and protect her. “All you need to do is choose three of your friends to stay here, Killian Jones. Carve their name.” Hades slicked his hair back, eyes darting down at Killian just staring at the chisel as if the answers were going to appear on the metal. “W-what's the problem? Is it the chisel? So unwieldy for the one-handed. Or writer's block?”

“I'm not doing it, I refuse.” Killian finally broke Hades’ ramblings, throwing the chisel down onto the ground in front of him. Hades took a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Not only to do you seriously disappoint me but you’re both testing me to my wits end. I guess it's off to solitary.” Hades brought himself down and yanked Killian by his hair, he screamed out in pain as he was dragged to his feet roughly.

“Killian!” Nadri brought herself up unsteadily from the floor, Hades raising his hand to her and she was forced back to the ground by a magical energy that refused to let her get up. Killian tried to look back at Nadri who kneeled their hopeless, her eyes full of terror as she kept calling out his name but Hades held him so tightly to refuse him turning back. “Hades, please, leave him alone!” She screamed out even though her body was frozen. “Please don’t!” She sobbed, knowing what exactly solitary meant for Killian.

  
“We’re going for a walk darling, _I’ll_ be back soon.” Hades pushed the doors open, continuing to drag and yank Killian behind him. “You both have nerve trying to show me up.” Killian could still hear her shouting and crying desperately through the doors of the room, her noise muffled out only slightly.

“She doesn’t deserve it. If you’re going to do it to anyone then let it be me. She is an innocent.” Killian painfully barked, trying to bargain for Nadri’s life. He had come into this realm after giving into the darkness so quickly, he was desperate and heated on revenge. Killian wanted Nadri to be free, to move on without chains around her keeping her here.

“Oh you really don’t get it do you?” Hades let go off him, pushing his head away as they headed halfway down the ominous hallway. “Her power was bought under a deal. Her master died when he killed her and I took on her lovely contract. She is cursed with a lifetime of torment and even you can’t free her of that as much as you’d like to try.” Hades shoved him towards the door, shimmering green waters reflected off the walls of the ruins and Killian watched as the souls lost within the pools twirled and moaned into each other, forever lost inside of the river.

“I’ll try, I have eternity.” Killian huffed. “She doesn’t deserve to be tormented by you.”

  
“But she does by you? Please, Hook, stop being so dramatic. She’s a lost soul, she’s lonely and attractive. I see why it appeals to your pirate nature, have a history of stealing women don’t you?” Killian flared towards Hades as his hateful words. He didn’t see Nadri as a lonely soul, she needed help and she needed to move on from this cursed realm as a free woman. Killian felt sorry for her, he wanted her to feel more than that Hades had reduced her to.

Hades brought Killian to the end of the stony pier, a small wooden boat waiting in the light, gentle waves of the river.

“What the hell is this place?”

“This is the River of Lost Souls.” Hades declared, watching Killian as he limped along bloodily. “Touch it and it will make you lost. Reducing you to a mindless, tormented husk. So please, keep all arms and _hand_ inside the boat.”


	8. PAHFOS NII KUZ

_Nadri jolted with a gasp, her eyes blinked rapidly around her at the dark, confiding walls. She raised a hand to her chest, taking in sharp breaths of anxiety as she could feel the gaping wound that was sliced along her chest, the fresh blood sticking to her fingers. Nadri scratched at her skin, feeling more blood dripping down her and she felt around her throat, the golden cuff was still around her throat, still missing its rightful gemstone._

_She wildly looked around the room, flinching as she heard the blood-curdling screams from other people in the area that was placed in. She could hear it through the brick walls, the screams sounding like someone was being burned alive right beside her. It was a barely lit room, all she could feel was the freezing cold stone floor and the blood that was soaked to her dress._

_  
“Where am I?” Her voice was shaking, quivering as she thought of the last moment that she could remember. She envisioned Nathaniel standing over her, a blade dug into her chest as if he was slaughtering a pig. Nadri remembered her quaking fear, it engulfed her body when she knew her vision was fading to a darkness that she could not escape from. Nadri rested her hand against her chest, gulping as she recalled the last words that Nathaniel had spoken._

**_“I need your heart.”_ **

_It was gone._

_She couldn’t feel the strong beat of her heart, even in this human form the feeling within her chest should have been hammering down her ribcage at waking up in this wet, dark cell._

_Nadri choked out a horrified sob, her hands shaking as she ran them across her face and into her hair, pulling the strands with a maniacal scream._

_“Where am I? Where the Gods am I?” She wept tearfully, rocking backwards and forth. She felt an emptiness in her chest, not only was her heart stolen by a man she feared beyond belief, she was trapped in this hell._

_She had come into this hell as a feeble, mortal woman._

_Was she dead? Was this a dream?_

_Her body jumped as she heard the sound of a door opening, candle-lit light appearing from a gap that had opened into the room. She shuffled backwards, fearful. The light revealed a man, dressed in clothes that Nadri had never seen in her time as a dragon and a human being. He was wearing clothes of a noble origin she had guessed, his clothing was dark, neat and perfectly tailored with dark and red colours._

_“Nadri the Lonely One.” Nadri lifted her hand above her eyes at the sudden light in the room, listening to the man’s older and seemingly gentle voice. She had not heard that name for a long time, Nathaniel had dropped the rest of her owned name and simply called her Nadri._

_  
This man was not Nathaniel._

_“Beautiful name, my dear.” He stepped in with a lit sconce, the flames lightening up the room and the man came closer to Nadri, lowering himself down as she sat on the ground with terror in her eyes. He assessed her wound, cocking his head as his eyes looked over her blood soaked dress, her sweet face covered with the claret from her hands._

_“Where am I? What is this mindolaar?” Nadri brought her hand down, afraid to look at the man in his dark, overwhelming eyes._

_  
“My name is Hades. I’m the Lord of the Underworld.” He introduced himself and he brought his hand to Nadri’s face, very softly caressing her cheek and moving her hair behind her ear. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”_

* * *

Nadri paced back and forth in the throne room, her heart pounding against her chest and her blood running with anxiety. All she could do was think of Killian and Hades taking him to a place that was worse than the Pit. She couldn’t bear to think of the torture that Hades was going to put Killian through, Nadri herself had already gone through the worst of his temper tantrums but Cerberus was dead which meant that Hades was prepared to obliterate Killian in the River of Souls as a punishment. This _raaviir_ had given her hope and he had fuelled the fire that Hades had been so desperate to stamp out.

She didn’t know what to do or where to start on trying to get out of Hades’s throne hall. She stared down at her wrists shakily and the bangles of imprisonment smiled back at her, begging her to do something stupid. Nadri closed her eyes, taking a deep a breath. Nadri remembered the kiss that she had shared with Killian that warmed her soul, she had one more person on her side who was determined to fight for her.

Nadri had to fight back.

Nadri approached the doors of the throne room, beginning to feel the vibrating pain of the bracelets that felt her defiance and her free thoughts. She needed every ounce of strength she could bring together, she needed every memory of pain and agony that Hades and Nathaniel had put her through and place it into one thought: _freedom._

Freedom from torture.

Freedom from hundreds of years of oppression.

The scorching burn of the bonds etched into her skin, reopening old burns that had tried to heal before. Nadri cried out as she felt the skin tearing around her wrists, the metal sweltering away into her flesh and blood dripped to the floor.

  
It’s just blood. She could do this.

  
It’s only blood. She _had_ to do this.

Nadri raised her hands to the doors of the throne room, a dark, warm purple light beginning to surround her palms. The injuries worsened, the bangles becoming coated with blood as the smell of burnt flesh became apparent to Nadri’s nose. She could have vomited, the feeling creeping up her throat as the repulsive smell kept battling her.

The dragon hide sleeves of her jacket began to burn, the glowing becoming bright and stronger as the fight against her bonds continued. Nadri groaned, grunted and painfully mewed as pushing the magical force towards the doors.

* * *

_Nadri had been brought to Hades’ personal domain. He explained what had happened in the Land of the Living for her to be brought down to the Underworld. Her mind was full of confusing thoughts, sadness and heartbreak. It was hard enough that Nathaniel had betrayed her through the last few months but knowing that the sickness had poisoned his mind to the point he had killed Nadri just to dig out her heart for pure power. She was shaken to her core, her rage became apparent and she felt as if could have burnt the whole place down to ashes._

_Nadri lowered herself into the bathtub, the burning water pulled the blood from her skin and muddled into the water. She gently scrubbed at her arms, washing away the pain, the blood and the dirt that stuck to her soul. She repeatedly washing at the magical ties around her wrists, frowning that they were still there._

_  
“How am I still bound to a jul who is no longer on this Earth?” Nadri stared at her wrists, whispering to herself. She looked around the dark marble bathroom, feeling small and helpless in the wide bathtub that engulfed her. Her questions to the Universe went unanswered, sighing and continued to wash before she got out of the bathtub, picking up a warm, fluffy towel that Hades had laid out for her before leaving her alone in the bathroom. Nadri approached the mirror that occupied the entire of one wall of the room, looking at herself intently._

_Her cheeks were sunken from the starvation punishment that Nathaniel had put her through, her body was slim but too slim for her own liking. She had become so accustomed to her human form that she had begun to point flaws in a vessel that felt not her own. Nadri opened the towel up from her body, dropping to the floor as she stared at the wound that was now closed a dark pink scar line. The oldest one started underneath her chin from Nathaniel the first time and then combined with the freshest one as it went down her chest into an ugly, spiral of mutilations._

_Little did she know she wasn’t the only one who was watching her trace her fingers down her body to assess the damage. Hades stood on the other side of the mirror._

* * *

Her overwhelming anger, grief, betrayal and heartbreak came out in one combined shout towards the doors, furious words ripped the obsidian within the frames out from the walls, blowing out into the hallway and shattering into small shards as it hit with such an obnoxious force that it sounded like something had exploded within the hallway.

Nadri brought her hands down with a shuddering breath, blood running down her arms and spotting onto the floor as her wrists had been mangled by the extreme lengths that Hades had put on the bracelets.

She wasn’t done.

Not even a little bit.

Nadri headed out into the hallway, admiring her handiwork that was obliterated on the stoned flooring. Nadri took a left, knowing her way around Hades’ domain enough that she knew what way Hades would have taken him to the river. It felt like Nadri had been walking for ages as she spun around the corner and down another hallway and out into the open where the green waters laid waiting for her and that wasn’t all.

Nadri was met with Emma and another man and a woman, around the same age older than the Saviour, and Nadri immediately felt a dark energy that she had already been in her presence once before. They were standing by the river with a boat that had come back from Killian being taken, meaning that Hades was already two steps ahead of Nadri. Did it really take her that long to get the doors down? She shook herself out of her thoughts and headed forward, Emma finally seeing her.

  
“If you’re here for Killy, Hades has already taken him.” Nadri approached them, her voice hoarse. Emma looked at her with a tremendous gasp, not expecting to see the woman who had tried to fight her previously looked like she had crawled out from under the Earth. Her arms were bloody, her outfit was still covered in dust and dirt from the caves and her face was bruised as well as the collar of purple that laid around her neck from Hercules own hands.

  
“What the hell happened to you?” Emma could barely look Nadri in the face, just staring at the violence that she had endured all over her body.

“Long story, _saviik._ ” Nadri responded back to Emma shortly, feeling as if the only thing keeping her standing right now was the adrenaline running through her body. She turned to the dark-haired woman in the boat who Nadri attempted to smile at but the sight of her was too horrific to do the same. “I didn’t think I’d see you this far down Milah.”

“I didn’t think I’d see you like this again, Nadri.” Milah was disappointed, upset that Nadri had been taken back into Hades’ sadistic care.

“Well, it’s been a very long time since I have seen you, Nadri.” The man that was with Emma and Milah looked down at Nadri as she approached them. Nadri was on a mission and she was not going to be stopped by anyone, not even one that she really knew as Rumpelstiltskin. His eyes were still dark, almost black as they stared into her, he still limped poorly. “I see that Nathaniel couldn’t keep his hands to himself.”

  
“You knew he’d kill me, _lahiik._ He had a sickness only more power would cure.” Nadri had a venomous tone, her words toxic towards Rumpelstiltskin as opposed her previous soft voice to Milah and Emma. She remembered the moment that Rumpelstiltskin entered her prison cell at Asari Keep, her dragon form trying to render him to dirt on the Earth but with every cursed word in his conjured spell, she grew more powerless until there was only a shout to be heard.

“The contract was continued in this realm as long as someone held the object that keeps my power.” Rumpelstiltskin looked down to Nadri’s wrists, they were still dripping a trail behind her. Her anger came back up, bubbling as she spoke about her past.

* * *

_Nadri walked back into the throne room, feeling the fire that flickered and cracked warm her body as she approached Hades, days, maybe weeks now after she had unwillingly been brought to this realm. She had become like a child, easily trusting towards him after her painful past with Nathaniel and relied on him to keep her safe and well._

_There was no sight of him, Nadri wondered the town with Hades and it was almost if he had never came to the afterlife at all._

_  
But she had heard rumours._

_Nadri looked over at Hades as he read his book contently in his throne, his feet up comfortably._

_“I’ve found Nathaniel.” Hades put his book down suddenly, the pale older man looking over at Nadri as if he didn’t hear her quite correctly. “There’s a story in the town that a man is working down the docks with Hercules. No one has heard of him.” Hades interest peaked further into the subject, laying his book down on the table next to his throne and he moved his feet off the stool to stand up. He grabbed his cane and approached Nadri as she stood there sheepishly._

_  
“And my dear, what would you like to do with him?”_

_“I want to kill him. I want to send him to the Pit.” Her voice was trembling but not with fear, with pure hatred for the man who had brought them down into this realm in the first place. She wanted him to suffer as much as she has suffered. She wanted him to know the fiery pain that Nathaniel had put her through._

_Hades placed his hand on her shoulder, his thumb caressing her bare shoulder of her dress. The smile that was spread across his face was eager and full excitement to give her what she wanted._

_  
What **he** wanted._

_“I think we can arrange that, my dear.”_

* * *

“This was you?! You can lift this!” Emma was shocked to learn that Rumpelstiltskin was the one who had placed the bonds on Nadri in the first place. Her face looked like it had been slapped, her mouth was open with surprise as she looked back down at Nadri.

“I would but I did not get what I was promised. The deal still stands and I can’t go back on that.” Rumpelstiltskin denied and Emma could see that Nadri was seconds away from pushing the Dark One into the river herself. “Besides, this is a two part deal, separating your power and enslaving you were two different parts of the bargain.”

  
“Then we make another one, right now.” Nadri demanded harshly. “I don’t care what it takes.”

_Whatever it takes._

Nadri had found her voice, it wasn’t soft spoken and gentle anymore, it was full of an eternal rage that she needed to take out on the place that has kept her enslaved the longest.

“Free me from my bonds and I will help you get home, whatever it takes.” She said again as if she wasn’t clear enough before. Emma and Milah stared at Rumpelstiltskin waiting for him to finally speak. The cogs were turning in his mind at what to do, betray Hades and free Nadri from her slavery to help them or leave her to be at the punishment of Hades for going against the magic that was trying so hard to break her and keep her against her will?

“Rumple!” Milah called him, in aweing shock herself at why Rumpelstiltskin had to contemplate on what to do in the first place.

“Whatever it takes? I have heard those words before, Nadri.”

“I’m not Nathaniel. I will do whatever it takes to make sure Killian is free.” The Dark One looked at her, raising his eyebrows with a surprise. Both Emma and Milah exchanged looks after hearing Nadri’s determined words about Killian, knowing there was more to this story than they had speculated.

“Not to bargain your own freedom, perhaps a guaranteed easy life in this realm?”

“My life has never been easier, _lahiik._ ” Nadri held a bittersweet, saddened smile over her lips. Her eyes glossy with tears, not only from the pain riddling her wrists but also the agonizing heartache she felt towards her existence in this world. “I will do whatever it takes to save him.”


	9. KROLUREND

_Nadri had met Hercules for the first time down by the river bank, she had enquired about Nathaniel’s location under the pretense of being Nathaniel’s long-lost wife and Hercules admitted he came to the docks in the late afternoon to help him around the boats. In the time that they had spent in the Underworld, he had not been able to move on yet._

_Nadri was asked to meet Hades at the Pit when the guards had dragged Nathaniel within the underground ruins, shouting and hollering as he was pulled along by his arms to the cliff. Nadri stood at the cliff top with an eager impatience, the furious flames of orange and yellow spitting up at the souls that were awaiting above. Nathaniel was thrown in front of them, holding his side as he looked up at the Lord of the Underworld and the decorated woman beside him. Nathaniel shook his head, laughing.  
_

_  
“I see you’ve managed to make yourself useful to another man.” Nathaniel chuckled, gathering his bearings and bringing himself up from the ground. “Are you still angry?” Nadri went to push him first but Hades raised his cane to stop her from moving closer to him. Nathaniel was proud of himself, Nadri could see it in his eyes._

_  
“Aren’t you? You didn’t read the terms and conditions of your contract, did you Nathaniel?” Hades spoke for Nadri as her hands balled up into fists, wanting to beat Nathaniel to death or at least could be classed as death in this realm. “You enslaved this poor woman and you stabbed her to death!”_

_“For the power it brought me she deserved every moment of it.” Nathaniel smirked, facing with Nadri. “If you had this fire before you died, you might not be a lost soul right now.” Nadri approached him, grabbing him by his shirt and forcefully pushing him further against the cliff edge, only a few steps to entirely losing his soul to the fire.  
  
_

_  
“Your death did not break the deal.” Nathaniel couldn’t help but burst out laughing, regardless if Nadri was holding him over the cliff face or not. “What is so funny, joor?”_

_  
“That’s because the deal isn’t broken. Clearly you were claimed before my soul settled in this realm.” He was still laughing wildly in her face, the fury flooding her entirely. What was he talking about? How couldn’t the deal be broken? Nathaniel had died, surely that would cease the contract? “You foolish bitch.” He spat foully._

_“Nadri, this is what you wanted. We’re here for him.” Hades spoke with a reassuring voice from behind her, coming closer to become the devil on her shoulder. “Don’t endure your suffering.”_

_“How is that even possible?”_

_“Just do it, Nadri.”_

_“I’m still bound to this body, how is that even possible?” Nadri cried, looking up at Hades with tears brimming her eyes. She could see he was becoming frustrated with her taking so long and she looked back at Nathaniel who still held the smirk plastered to his face. With one last, massive shove Nathaniel tripped backwards, an agonizing scream as his soul was burned alive in the Pit. Nadri looked down after him, the screams ceasing within seconds and she let out a shaky breath she didn’t realize she was holding. She looked back over her shoulder, Hades began to slowly clap for her._

_  
“Oh you did so good, I’m proud of you my dear.” Hades approached her as she still stood so close to the edge of the cliff. There was something wrong, the eagerness and overly pleased tone that Hades was talking with gave Nadri a cold feeling shaking through her. She knew that voice, she knew the cruel, vindictive and manipulating voice of Nathaniel too well to know when someone had ulterior motives._

_“It was you wasn’t it?” Nadri continued to watch him, tears dripping from her eyes as the roller-coaster of emotions continued to steam through her. She had dissolved one abuser and in return, received another. “That’s why you’ve been helping me…”_

_  
“Oh, my dear.” Hades hand reached out towards Nadri’s face, his thumb wiping away the tears that had escaped her eyes. “You didn’t truly think I was that good did you?” Nadri stifled a gasp, feeling flood of betrayal hitting her like a train all over again. “I’m Hades, sweetheart. I just needed you to make it easier for me to take on your contract.”_

* * *

Killian was being lowered from the metal crane, his body wrapped so tightly with steel chains that he could barely inhale a breath. He was being lowered further and further down towards the River of Lost Souls that was ready to welcome him into the pool with forceful arms. His head was drooped down, blood dripping off his forehead as he barely panted. He could barely remember being dragged into the rowing boat and placed up on the contraption by Hades, his thoughts were consumed with the dragon woman he had come to be concerned for.

Nadri was alone, screaming and crying his name without getting to say goodbye before he had been dragged out of the room. The last vision he would see of her was going to be her begging Hades not to take him away, tears running down her wounded face as pleaded with the devil. Killian promised her he would free her.

All he could think about was finding her again.

He had to think back, think back to when he had kissed her. Saying her name and forgetting the words that were going to come out of his mouth that were instead replaced with the kiss that he would cherish until he was lost to these waters.

_‘Killian.’_

He desired her warmth, her body in his arms. Killian didn’t even get to see her face without the wounds that accompanied it. He didn’t get to see her to be a free spirit.

He didn’t get to be with her.

‘ _Killy.’_ Killian could hear her voice, her delicate tones filling his ears where for a moment it was almost as if she was in the room with him. He focused on remembering her voice as he was lowered into the void. ‘ _Killian…’_ Killian could barely open his eyes, the waters coming closer every second.

  
He let her down.

He let his friends down.

He didn’t deserve to be saved.

“Killian!”

It wasn’t a soft tone, it was a loud screech that echoed and bounced throughout the cave walls. He tried to open his eyes woozily but he couldn’t focus, all he could hear was a woman’s voice. “Killian! I’m coming for you, _Ruveyzun._ ” He knew that voice, he knew how much he liked hearing her foreign tongue. It was the voice he had been so determined to remember. Nadri had come for him.

“No…don’t…” He was so weak he could barely keep himself awake to talk. “It’s a trick.” He convinced himself, there was no way that Nadri could have come to save him. She was confined to Hades’ domain, trapped within her bonds. He couldn’t see where she was, all he could hear was clanging and movement around him as he heard footsteps along the steel beam.

He prepared himself as he was about to be lowered in the pool one more time, looking down in the hole with the swirling, mysterious water ready to engulf his soul and wash over him. Killian was suddenly pulled to side as he took a breath for the dive, Nadri struggling to pull him over to the safety of the metal crate that was covering the top of the river where Hades had previously stood. Nadri managed to get the chains free from his body, Killian almost falling on top of Nadri’s small height. If he’d have landed Killian coughing and spluttering as he felt the room to be able to take a large breath again.

“I’ve got you, Killy.” She pulled him close to her, rubbing his arm comfortingly. “I’m here, _Ruveyzun_.”

  
Killian looked up at the woman had cradled him into her arms, his head rested comfortably against her chest as she held him. Her smile was tearful.

  
“You’re not real…” Killian exhaled. “You can’t be.” He shook his head as Nadri clasped his hand, bringing it up to her face to rest it against her cheek. Killian couldn’t believe it was Nadri. It couldn’t have been. The bruises and cuts that were prominent within her face were now gone, leaving her with a smooth, milky white complexion that Killian had not seen fully. Her hair was no longer bloody but clean and smooth, her curls almost tickling Killian’s face as she felt over him. He could feel how gentle her skin was, no longer sticky and thick with blood.

She looked like an angel.

Maybe he was already dead.

His eyes glanced to her chest, seeing that her clothes were now longer torn, ripped and scratched but almost as if they were brand-new on her body. The scales of her armor shimmered with strength. She brought her head down and pressed her lips against his passionately, Killian could feel the plumpness of her lips and the taste of her that he had savored from their previous kiss. Nadri’s tears were wet against his face but he embraced and took in every single second of it.

He could feel it, he could feel _her._ It was real.

“I’m not real, how did I do that?” Nadri grinned, a real, genuine smile that spread across her cheeks and deepened her dimples.

“Bloody hell, love.” Killian’s whisper was feint. “How did you get out?” Killian looked up at her wrist as she held his hand against her face, Killian now stroking her face with his fingers lovingly. His eyebrows knitted together, his dizziness becoming more focused as he realized that the bracelets keeping her under Hades will were now missing to reveal only bare skin. His eyes then travelled to her neck, her necklace still missing its prized possession. “You’re free...”

“I’ll tell you everything but we _need_ to go, Killy.” Nadri helped Killian up from the grated platform, he took a sharp breath as she helped him put his arm around her shoulder to keep him upright. Killian was hunched over Nadri, a dramatic difference of height was between them but at least it kept Killian somewhat supported. She helped him down towards on the platform of the ruins, making sure he was helped every step of the way.

“How did you get them off?” Killian brought up as they stepped down the uneven steps of the narrow hallway of the ruins, Nadri leading the way and following the river back out where she knew Emma, Milah and Rumpelstiltskin was waiting for her in the rowing boat. He looked down at her as she struggled to keep him up right and he began to slow down when she kept looking ahead, not acknowledging his question. “Nadri. How did you get them off? You’re cursed.”

“I was – _am_.” She corrected dismissively and Killian deliberately stopped walking, almost pulling Nadri over as she continued to keep going. “We need to go, Killian. Hades will be back. Emma and Rumpelstiltskin are waiting for us.” Nadri frowned at him, putting her arm back out to help him along but Killian pushed it away

“The Dark One? What’s he doing here?” Killian soon enough recognized the possibility the Emma or the Dark One could have had a hand in the magic that had released Nadri from enslavement.

  
“I wasn’t really paying much to the Savior’s conversation. Are we going to keep going, _Ruveyzun_?” Killian had known Nadri long enough to realize she was a terrible liar. She fumbles over her words, she avoids all eye contact and even pretends she didn’t hear the conversation to begin with. As much as he appreciated that she had not lied to him about anything up until now, he did not appreciate her deciding right now was the time to go against him.

He felt hurt, after everything that they had witnessed of each other was now really the time to start hiding things?

“Not until you tell me the truth, love. What kind of magic…did you have to do to be released from your bonds?” Nadri turned around to him, looking up with her bright purple, sparkling eyes that were full of a guilt that she hadn’t even processed yet. Killian put his hand to her cheek. “Please don’t tell me you made a deal to come and get me.” Her eyes looked away from his again, Killian picking up on her remorse.

“Would it make you feel better if I told you, Killy? If we are caught by guards or _worse_ then there is no telling what Hades would do next. Do you want this to be the first thing we do now we’re here together, _free_?” Nadri questioned him and Killian exhaled deeply. He didn’t want her to sacrifice anything to come and save him, all he wanted was for her to be a free soul again and not to owe a single thing to anyone. Killian could tell that Nadri was about to burst with guilt if she had sat on it any longer. “I made a _krolurend…a_ deal.” She sighed and Killian’s good eye widened with astonishment.

“You did what?” Killian feared for her, he knew the crocodile all too well and knew what he was capable of if her end of the deal fell through. Killian felt like he wasn’t worth another lifetime of enslavement, not after all the promises he had made to Nadri. “Why would you do that?”

“Killian, my _Ruveyzun,_ I promise you when we get somewhere safe I will tell you everything. Please.” Nadri kept her arm out and Killian gingerly took it, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she led him out.

They continued walking further down the path, Killian occasionally glancing down at the woman that had come all the way to save him. His heart would have warmed at the thought of finally being with Nadri again, being able to use her own free will to decide for herself. But the pit of his stomach felt sickly at imagining the crocodile using her for his own deeds, especially now that he had been within the darkness itself and previously had the all mighty control of it. Killian couldn’t bear the thought of leaving her now, even if he had to be stuck to her like glue then so be it.

He winced, every step he took jarring his broken ribs.

“We’re almost there, Killy.” Nadri reassured sweetly, rubbing his back as they come closer and closer to the peering light that peeked around the doorway. They got closer and closer, Rumpelstiltskin and Emma coming into focus as they came out of the doorway and Emma looked bewildered as Rumpelstiltskin stood there with a fearful expression and his hand severely wounded. “What in the Gods happened?” Nadri exclaimed, the boat was gone from the water.

“Hades came here.” Rumpelstiltskin told them. “I tried to stop him. He blew my magic right back at me.”

“I was looking out at the boat when it happened. Hades froze all of us. Milah is gone, Hades got her.” Emma looked grievously to both Rumpelstiltskin and Killian.

“He didn’t…?” Nadri shook her head and Rumpelstiltskin nodded miserably. She looked down, stifling the feeling to wanting to scream and shout at Hades to stop the madness that he was leaving in his wake.

“Milah…was here?” Killian looked devastated. He couldn’t believe Milah had been here all this time and he didn’t get the chance to at least speak to her to say goodbye properly. Since Milah all he did was seek out vengeance in his worst enemy that took her from him, it was vengeance that lured him down the rabbit hole of becoming the Dark One.

  
“She helped us get to you, Hook.” He looked to his best friend with a troubled expression.

  
“Hades has much to answer for.”

“Indeed he does.” Rumpelstiltskin agreed with Killian as he held onto Nadri for support. “Now, we need to get going.”


	10. SIZAAN

The four of them retreated back up to the land that Hades had envisioned as Storybrooke. Emma had explained to Hades and Nadri that one of the entrances they had come down was actually built inside of Emma’s home as Hades probably deemed it fit that the entrance to hell would be suitable for the Dark One. Well, ex-Dark One now. Nadri was still helping Killian stand up straight, Emma’s eyes shooting up over her every now with a suspicious stare.

She had to remember Nadri’s attack was completely under Hades control. She couldn’t imagine that Rumpelstiltskin’s control was going to be much better, but hoped that he would follow their deal through to the letter nonetheless.

When they headed through the doorway that led out into the building that replicated Emma’s house, Nadri was met with strange and obscured looks. Regina and Snow looked down at Nadri with distain, as if she should be hanging her head in shame. David Charming, Robin Hood and Henry Mills were awaiting with the women, being introduced to Nadri as she came into the room uncomfortably and Emma had explained a rundown of the situation.

Emma told them that they had lost Milah to Hades and Nadri had found them after breaking free of Hades’ control hell bent on going after Killian, without her they wouldn’t have been able to bring him back to the group. She continued to get obscured glares from some of the fairy tale characters around her.

Nadri felt the glances and stares too much to handle, stepping out of the room and into a separate dining room, standing at the wall length window and staring out into the neighborhood that the house was situated within. Killian glanced over to Nadri, helped up by Emma as they discussed Rumpelstiltskin’s ruse for the pirate to give up his power back to him, Nadri taking it all in silently. This was what she feared, Killian was back with the Living determined on bringing him back up to the top, whilst Nadri was to be left roaming the realm running from Hades all over again.

“We don't have a way out, but we didn't have one before anyway. My magic's working now.” She heard Regina’s voice, Nadri still listening as she crossed her arms over her chest and stared out of the window. “So let's do this heart split. That way, when we find an exit, we can get through it.” The words peaked at Nadri’s curiosity, turning her head slightly to see what was happening in the corner of her ear. Emma was looking at Killian with an assured look, the poor man still barely able to stand as she discussed splitting her heart with him.

“A heart split?” Killian repeated, Nadri could hear his voice was thick with confusion as if he knew nothing about it. Nadri exhaled and moved her eyes back to the window when she felt Killian’s blue eyes suddenly start burning a hole through the back of her head. “I don’t-“

“It can be temporary until we find a new plan.” More muffled voices continued through the doorway, beginning to sound like voices of disagreement. Nadri felt the like she could have been swallowed and eaten whole.

She had been discarded.

  
“Nadri, right?” Nadri sniffled, hearing a boy’s voice from behind her. Nadri turned around and looked up at the Henry. It was hardly fair that she was smaller than a half-grown teenage boy. She cursed Nathaniel internally. “The Lonely One?”

  
“I guess it still fits.” Nadri agreed, clearing her throat as Henry approached her. She wiped the tears away with her sleeves and forced a bittersweet smile. “Getting ready to go home?” She referred to the raised voices that continued in the other room, knowing an argument was beginning to ensue about what was going to happen next.  
  


“Hook doesn’t want my mom’s heart and he’s pretty pissed.” Henry answered as he came and sat down at the ebony dining room table in his mother’s Underworld home. Everything in the home was of a monochrome finish, it was sleek, contemporary but too modern for Nadri’s tastes. A mountain or a lush forest would suit her just fine.

“Are human children allowed to curse?”

“Not really.” Nadri couldn’t help but let out a lilted laugh at Henry’s obvious tone. Very few laughs had been shared within the Underworld and it was another one she could add to her list. “I know your story. I’ve read it before.” Henry continued, looking at Nadri as she leant against the dining room table.   
  
“No offence, _mal gein,_ I would be surprised a boy of the modern realm would be able to read my fable.” Nadri shook her head, her black curls flopping around her shoulders and Henry pulled a face that clearly indicated otherwise.

“Nadri the Lonely Dragon was captured to protect a mountain full of riches and jewels. The dragon met a traveler who was trying to steal the sword of the King and helps free the dragon. The traveler turns out to be Nathaniel, a renowned dragon slayer from a faraway land, who tricks the dragon and takes all of her power and confining her into a human body to use her for bad.” Henry outlined the basic backstory of her fable, memorizing the entirety of it. Nadri stood there with her jaw dropped a gap. Only very few people knew of Nadri’s fable and fewer people knew the circumstances of how it came to be.

“How do you know of this?”

“I write, it’s what I do.” The teenager said with a warm smile. “I know that the dragon thought she found true love with the dragon slayer but he betrayed her and broke her heart. After that, she was convinced that everyone was out to betray her and died

  
“Aren’t you a little…um, what do you call it in your tongue?”

“A smarty pants?” Henry cheekily grinned, making Nadri smile further, exhaling with a soft laugh.

“I suppose I should thank-you of reminding me how tragic my past is, _mal gein._ ”

“I can only guess that things weren’t great down here and no one will go into it but I know that Hook wouldn’t betray you like the slayer did.” Henry looked back through the doorway, getting a better view of Killian arguing with both Emma and David whilst Rumpelstiltskin sauntered around feeding off the energy in the fight. Killian’s voice was raised, repeatedly declining her offer of a heart split. “I know that’s what you’re thinking.” Henry told her, looking back towards Nadri and trying to bring her out of the negative and dark thoughts she kept slipping into. Nadri sighed, looking down at the boy sitting next to her. “Its true love right? That’s why he won’t take my mom’s heart because he wants you to come with us. He just won’t say that.”

“You’re very smart for your age, _mal gein_.” Nadri commented, still holding her sad smile towards Henry but shook her head. “None of them trust me. I do not blame them. I could have killed your mother if Hercules hadn’t stopped me.”

“I don’t believe that.” Henry dismissed without a second thought. “I think they need to give you a second chance. Show them what you can do now you’re free, that you love Hook.” There was that word again _love_.

“I’m not free.” Nadri shook her head, her mouth twitching as she felt sadness come up to her throat, trying to push her feelings for Killian aside. “I’m dead, _mal gein_. My powers are still somewhere in this realm that could help Hades bring me back into his control.”

“Then we find it. We find it and we can bring you back with us.” Henry reassured again and Nadri had to stop trying to disagree with him, she got the feeling that Henry was going to bat back every single reasoning she had with positive affirmations and ideals. “I have this for you, Hercules wrote it before he moved on.”

  
“He did?” Nadri whispered watching as Henry dug through his coat pockets and pulled out a folded, crinkled envelope.

“He said to read it alone.” Henry shrugged and Nadri held it to her chest, closing her eyes as another tear fell from her eye. “He meant a lot to you, huh?”

  
“Yes he did.”

They continued to sit together in a comfortable silence between them, Henry’s expression equivalent to someone who had just won a victory. He knew he was right and he wasn’t going to let the dragonborn tell him otherwise.

The voices in the other room finally ceased the noise and Regina popped her head around the door to her son.

“Mom?”

“We have a problem.” Nadri got up from the table, receiving a cold glare from Regina that she had to brush off, taking a breath and picking herself up from her and Henry’s conversation. They both walked back into the living room, all of them standing around and Killian’s eyes immediately laid on Nadri, his facial expression softening when he realized that she had been crying.

  
  
“We were going to do the heart split and Regina’s magic repelled entirely.” Emma started.

“I don’t know what went wrong.” Regina turned to Nadri, as if she was waiting on feedback. Nadri scoffed the magical being in front of her, bewildered that she was now finally asking for her advice or even acknowledging her presence in the room. “What?”

“Do not what me, _lahiik._ ” And that was it. “Did we forget who brought your _raaviir_ back up from Hades’ domain? Or did we forget that this _Dovah_ willingly laid down her life in front of Hercules so you could escape safely?” Nadri couldn’t help but let the words spill from her mouth, she was fuming. Snow and Regina exchanged regrettable glances, understanding Nadri’s anger towards being misplaced like a forgotten ornament.

“Nadri.” Killian reached out for her, never seeing her so pent up with anger and frustration to the point it was now bubbling over like a pot of water that was past boiling point. “It’s okay, love.”

  
“It’s not Killy.” Nadri shook her head, Kilian’s hand reaching her shoulder trying to comfort her. She had become so fed up of being looked at like a bad person that they weren’t trying to see her light. “I may look like a little woman with hurt feelings but I can assure you I am definitely not. I risked my life, happily, for Killian. I brought him back to you. I made a deal with the Dark One to be free of my bonds to make sure I could get him back to the Living world safely.” Killian’s eyes looked up to her when she had mentioned her agreement with Rumpelstiltskin, a conversation that still needed to be discussed.

“I can help you that’s why I made the deal. That’s my deal so for the Gods please – get over it and we can do this together.” Nadri’s voice began to break, cracking as she felt the anger in her words but she just couldn’t stop. She could feel all eyes in the room on her, Regina staring at her like a gawping fish as she ranted on. It was like the dam completely broke and all hell broke loose, she was sick and tired of being trialed for actions that were not her own, she was sick and tired of being thought of as a villain when actually she was the opposite.

She headed for the front door. She didn’t stick around for any responses or concerns from the room after her rant. Nadri was quicker than anyone who had tried to walk after her, slipping out the front door and slamming it behind her. The dark-haired woman paced down the steps and out onto the front garden, putting her hands to hair and ingesting a deep breath. She could have shouted until the entire world shook but she just felt it trapped within her chest, as a human she hated how she felt. She never had any of this horrible, powerful feelings as a _Dovah._

“Why do I feel like this?” Nadri whimpered, taking her hands from her hair and running them over her face. She felt helpless, weak to her emotions. She crouched down, trying to take deep breaths as she felt the spiral of emotions continue to drag her through a rollercoaster. Nadri felt like she couldn’t breathe, panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath. “What is this dark magic?” Nadri kept trying to breath but she just felt like her breath was getting away from her, struggling to catch her breath almost as if someone had a hand around her throat and she couldn’t take in any fresh air.

“It’s called a panic attack.” Emma’s voice was heard coming out of the porch, catching the last words of her conversation. She rushed down the steps towards Nadri, only for Nadri to put a hand up to indicate she didn’t need any help. “Look, you’re getting yourself into a state. Big bad dragon or not, you can’t handle a panic attack.” Emma sat in front of Nadri on the cold grass, forcefully taking her hands in his hers as Nadri kept trying to wave her away from her.

Nadri was met with the fluffy fur around the hood of Emma’s coat that had almost covered her eyes, her blonde hair poking out of the wood as the wind continued to sweep up leaves around the house. She didn’t notice how much the wind had picked up since meeting Hades in the forest, almost as if the weather had changed dramatically in the last 24 hours. It was beginning to sway her from her crouched position.

“Nadri, look at me, look me in the eyes.” Emma’s eyes stared at Nadri’s violet ones, noticing the bursts of white and darker purples running throughout. “I need you to breath in and out, 4 seconds each, okay? 4 for 4.” Emma told her, beginning to do the breathing exercises with her. Nadri kept tripping over her breath, feeling like she was going to choke on her own air. “It’s okay, just keep breathing.”

“Why are you here?” Nadri held her breath in.

“Because everything you said is true and we’ve all treated you like the bad guy when it’s not you at all.” Emma replied, half-apologising as she started breathing out with Nadri. “Killian doesn’t want to leave here without you, he refuses to share my heart.” They breathed in together again, Nadri feeling like her breathing was finally beginning to settle.

  
“He won’t be able to leave here unless he leaves me behind, either.” Nadri reminded her, breathing out her steady, calm breath. Emma helped Nadri up from the ground, Nadri’s curls blowing around wildly in the wind.

  
“You feeling okay?” Emma placed a hand on her shoulder, genuine concern across her features. “Just keep breathing, I know it seems hard in the moment but you just need to remember 4 for 4.” Nadri nodded, appreciating her help in the end. “We just need to figure out a plan, that’s all.”

  
“I have no heart to share with him in return, Emma. He needs to go back, he has a life left unfinished. My body is dirt within the Earth now.”

  
“Well, by the looks of it, he doesn’t want that life either unless you’re in it.”

* * *

Nadri had managed to calm herself down while the some of the group ventured to the cemetery when Killian had explained that he was forced to put three names on the tombstones in return for the souls they were helping to pass over. Nadri had now confined herself in one of the upstairs bedrooms, sitting on one of the beds as she pulled out the letter from the crinkled envelope that Henry had given her previously. It had been a long time she had been able to sit on such a comfortable piece of furniture, Nadri had only ever been dragged into Hades bed and kicked out again when he was done with her, she had spent her nights sleeping in a cold cell as a dragon, she had never experienced sleeping in a comfortable bed.

Nadri was unsure on opening the letter, she didn’t want to get herself in a further state and she knew full well that the last time she had seen Hercules he was trying to keep her from giving into Hades’ darkness. Nadri unfolded the letters and her eyes looked down the beautiful writing.

‘ _Nadri,_

_I don’t think that we will meet again in this realm._

_I want you to forgive me for what I had to do to you to ensure your safety._

_I want you to forgive me for not keeping you safe when I freed you from my uncle._

_I know you can be free, I know it in my heart._

_Please take with you my courage and my belief that I know you will be free._

_I’m sorry, Nadri. I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart for what I had to do._

_I don’t want to remember you as being under my uncle’s influence, I want to remember you as the woman that I met down at the docks and I asked you to lunch and you gave me the brightest smile that I had ever seen._

_I want to remember that smile eternally._

_Herc.’_

Nadri brought the letter up, pressing her lips against it as she felt tears prick at her eyes once again. She didn’t want for them to have parted this way, now Nadri would never get the chance to say goodbye. She just hoped that he was happy wherever he ended up.

A knock came at the bedroom door and Nadri quickly wiped her eyes to avoid more tears being spilled today. She hid the letter within her jacket, keeping it safe in her pocket.

“Come in.” Nadri neatened her hair as the door opened, looking up to see Killian poking his head around the door. “Killian.” She gasped, smiling sweetly.

He was no longer beaten and bloodied, his clothes were no longer torn apart from shredded from the three-headed beast that had chased him down. He was able to stand without cradling his ribs. His face no longer bruised and both of his insatiable blue eyes, enhanced by his dark eyeliner, were now able to take in her own breathless appearance. His hair was neatly combed and blood no longer saturated it or splattered his face, Killian could now give her his most charming, confident smile that would have made her heart flutter.

“You look...”

“Emma fixed me up.” Killian walked into the room, shutting the door behind him. Nadri could now see that he now had his hook twisted back in and cleaned up. “I don’t scrub up too bad.”  
  


“You look beautiful.” Nadri moved up the bed for Killian to sit down next to her, no longer wincing and groaning as he went. He was still taller than her even sitting at the same height. Nadri stared at him fawningly, taking in how breathlessly handsome he was.

“My thoughts when I saw you.” Killian replied smoothly, leaning over with his hand to take her own, bringing her hand to his lips so he could kiss her knuckles. He held her hand like he never wanted to let go of it again. Nadri returned his smile. “They are working out a plan, something we can use against Hades.”

“Do they think it will work, _vahzen_?” Nadri raised her eyebrow, feeling doubtful. These Living Souls believed they could take down a _God_ , all it would bring is terror across the realm and that gave Nadri a sickening feeling in her stomach that could only lead to her being captured by Hades again. “I can’t go back to him, Killy.”  
  
“I won’t let you.” Killian promised her with a tone set in stone, clutching her hand more. “I won’t let you out of my sight, love. I promise you that. This deal you made-“

“The deal I made was for you, Killian.” Nadri told him, finally bringing herself to have the conversation, cutting him off. “In the heat of the moment I made that _krolurend_ because I needed to save you. To save both of us.” Nadri bit her lip, knowing that even making a deal in the first place was something that she had no knowledge of trying to get out of. She was only ever at the subject of a deal.

“I didn’t think I was worth saving, Nadri.” Killian said whilst shaking his head, the pain of guilt washing over his face. Nadri frowned up at him as if he had said something that had seriously offended her.

“Killy, if I hadn’t made that _krolurend_ , Hades would have come back for me. I don’t think I would still be in this realm.” She told him with certainty, there was no way that Hades would have found Nadri’s rebelliousness so forgiving. Hades beat her within an inch of her soul’s existence just for running away but for breaking free of her bonds? Well…that was something that Nadri never wanted to find out.

“If anything was to happen to you Nadri, if you were gone from existence, I wouldn’t know what to do.” Nadri realized that the pirate was trying to hold back tears, his teeth gritting together and clenching his jaw to try and not let the tears flood through his voice. She held his hand tighter, Killian trying to look anywhere that wasn’t in her eyes to see the pain she held for him. “I didn’t know it before but now bringing my friends here was the worst thing that could have happened. I’ve put you in serious danger with Hades. I couldn’t bare it if-“

“Killian, my _lokaal_.” Nadri spoke softly, cutting him off to stop him from getting worked up any further. “If you weren’t here, I would still be a _zaam_ to that man. You freed me. I only have you to thank, not blame.” She reassured, slowly breaking at the sight of Killian beginning to break his walls down and wanting to let all of his emotions come out into a flood. “I have something to exist for.” Nadri wrapped her arms around Killian’s neck, bringing him down to her level as she held him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her small frame as he sniffled into her shoulder.

Nadri leant back on the bed, initially confusing Killian as she had left his embrace. She got herself comfortable, still finding the mattress and pillows foreign to her. Nadri opened her arms and Killian shyly crawled over the bed and curled up next to Nadri, resting his head on her and getting himself comfortable between the cushions that sat on her chest.

All he wanted to hear was her heart beat as she began to delicately play with his hair. Since the moment Killian had sacrificed himself as the Dark One and landed in this god-forsaken place, he finally felt peaceful in Nadri’s arms.


	11. ZEYMAH

**_\- Trigger Warning - Non/Con -_ **

Nadri’s eyes fluttered open drowsily, her vision blurry from the deep sleep she had slipped into. She looked around, raising an eyebrow as she felt the cold, empty side of the bed next to her where Killian had previously laid snuggled closely into her body. Her hand reached out, feeling nothing but the fabric of the duvet and she rubbed her eyes, still trying to wake herself up. Nadri sat up carefully, under the impression that Killian had been called down to speak to the others and had left her to sleep.

“Oh you are gorgeous when you are sleeping.” Her eyes snapped up to the figure in the corner, eyes widening like a deer caught in the headlights as the voice trembled throughout her body. “You snore a little bit, but still, gorgeous.” Hades arose from the armchair in the corner of the bedroom, approaching Nadri as she sat up on the bed, shaking with fear. “Did you really think you could run?” Nadri looked around, the room suddenly dropping into darkness.

  
“Where’s Killian?” Nadri quivered, Hades holding the powerful crystal in his hand tauntingly. Hades refused to answer her as he stepped closer to the bed, Nadri attempting to bring together any magical force that she could but there was nothing. It was like going to fill up your car at a petrol pump only to find the pumps were completely empty, nothing was fueling her magic. “What have you done? What’s going on?”

“Oh, poor little lost girl.” His black eyes targeted her from the end of the bed, twirling his cane in one hand whilst still eyeing the crystal between his fingers in the light that streamed through the windows of the bedroom. “Did you really think you and the pirate could do this domestic thing? It’s cute but come on, Nadri. I thought we were great together. Power couple.” Hades proclaimed, feigning jealousy towards Killian with a cruel laugh. “I guess I can get rid of him, right? Then you’d have nothing to run for.”

  
“If you touch him I will shout you out of this Universe.” Nadri threatened but it was only met with hysterical laughter.

  
“You and the pirate are always so threatening.” Hades appeared on top of her, pinning her wrists down roughly as she struggled against the bed. “You’re not so threatening when you’re on your back, I wonder if he knows that?” Hades held a sick, evil, twisted grin on his face as Nadri’s wrists were tied to the frame of the bed. She struggled, twisting her body and trying to pull her hands free but nothing was working, it was as if her whole body was refusing to anything that she commanded it to. “Done the deed yet?”

“This isn’t real.” Nadri shook her head. “I’m dreaming. You’re not real!” Nadri shouted into his face, Nadri tried to bring her legs up to kick the God from on top of her but again, nothing was working. Hades’ cold hands were free to do what they wanted to her, running down the sides of her body making her arch her back to try to get away from the unwanted contact. “Please.” She begged, still thrusting around to get out of Hades personal space but her body was lacking strength.

“I thought this wasn’t real, Nadri. Just stop it.” Hades’ hands at the top of the skinny, black jeans he had placed her in before, unbuttoning them and pulling them down roughly, straight down to her ankles to reveal her thin, lace underwear that Hades had deliberately picked for her. “They suit you, I thought they would. That’s why I made you wear them.” The smile still sat on his older face, pressing his icy cold, thin lips against her naval and Nadri felt the urge to puke where she laid, ceasing up underneath his touch. She couldn’t stop it, she kept trying to close her eyes and imagine herself out of the dream but it wasn’t working. She couldn’t wake up.

  
“This isn’t real.” Nadri whimpered, Hades’ fingers traced the top of her underwear before moving down to her mound of warmth, desperately trying to clench her thighs together to deny him entry.

  
“Have you thought maybe this is just reality? That I can control you however I want, even now.” Hades shifted further down, forcing her legs apart with brute force and Nadri yelped, Hades violently ripping her underwear away from her to relish in what he had uncovered. His hand moved down, his fingers caressing warmth as Nadri recoiled at the touch, playing with her. “I can make you do anything like this, Nadri. I still own you.” He slipped his fingers inside of her forcefully, Nadri clamping around him as she cried out painfully. She was unprepared, frightened, his fingers digging and clawing at her.

  
  
“Stop!” She cried, tears streaming down her face continuously as she pleaded, begged and screamed out for help. Her eyes glanced for the doors, she couldn’t hear anything apart from her own crying. Where was everyone? Where did everyone go? Where was Killian?

“Oh but you know how much I love to play with you.” Hades continued to pump his fingers inside of her roughly, stimulating her without her consent. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to think of everything and anything that wasn’t Hades, trying to stop her body from tricking itself. Hades pulled his fingers away from her, feeling the sticky wetness that had begun to gather between his digits. “Look at that, you really are the whore I remember.” He licked her sweetness of his fingers, she tried to kick at him but Hades pinned her legs down, fingers beginning to bruise the skin at how violently he was holding her down.  
  


  
“For the Gods, stop, Hades please!” Her voice became hoarse through the crying and screaming, sobbing as Hades began to unzip his trousers, staring hungrily as Nadri pulled her knees back together again. Nadri whimpered and begged as Hades pulled his length out, lowering himself down onto Nadri, pressing his face into her shoulder as he forcefully tried to enter her.

_“That’s it, keep saying my name.”_

  
“ **Hades!** ” Nadri gasped, jolting up with a shaking breath so hard that she fell from the bed onto the wooden floorboards. The sweat that had poured from her head was saturated in her hair, sticking to her face as she crawled away from the bed desperately. She put her arms over her face, still in the trance and she felt hands clutching her shoulders, shaking her. Nadri felt the burning pain between her legs as she kicked out at the person in front of her. “No, no, no-“ She struggled against the hands trying to hold her still. “Get off me! Get off!” Nadri screeched at the top of her lungs, but the hands wouldn’t leave her body.

  
“Nadri!” Killian yelled at her again, unheard the first time. Nadri looked up at Killian, shocking Killian at the state of fear and terror that was across her features, her skin a yellowy-white. She stopped thrashing around, gasping in relief and threw her arms around Killian so tightly that she may as well have been super-glued to him.

“You’re okay, you’re here.” She cried into his shoulder, her body shaking hard against the pirate. Killian putting his arms around her and rubbing her back soothingly, feeling like he had been knocked sideways by the sudden change in Nadri. It had felt so real, as if it had happened seconds ago. Nadri could feel the ache and pain between her legs that her mind had thought to be Hades, her knees shaking as she felt like she travelling between a cold and hot fever. “By the Gods, I thought-“

  
“You were thrashing around, you almost knocked me out, love.” Killian told her but still held a tone full of worry in his voice. She continued to mutter away into his chest, half-sobbing. “Hey, I’m here darling. I’m here.”

“I thought you were gone, Killy.” Killian heard clearly this time as she unburied herself from his chest, keeping his arm wrapped around her as she looked up at him, he face wet with tears. “I thought you were gone.” She repeated tearfully.

  
“Hey, I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I’ve been here the whole time.”

  
“I don’t want to go back to sleep. I don’t-“

“Okay, no sleeping, just breathe.” Killian agreed, still looking at her as she struggled to take a breath. “You were dreaming about him, weren’t you? I heard you say his name.” Nadri sighed, beginning to catch her breath. There was no one else she was more afraid of, Nathaniel hadn’t been alive long enough to cause her the amount of terror that Hades had. Even now that she was away from him, she still dreamt of him, of what he used to do, what he could do again.

  
“He just got in my head.” Nadri breathed out, putting her forehead back into Killian’s chest. He cradled her on the floor. “The nightmares come and go…I wasn’t expecting it to feel so real.” Nadri still felt the uncomfortable ache, her mind playing tricks on her. “You’re real, right?” She mumbled and Killian half-smiled, hearing her adorable mumbles through his shirt.

“Yes, love.” He hugged her tightly, sighing himself knowing that she was safe. Rushed footsteps were heard running up the stairs, Nadri pulling away from Killian as the door opened wildly and David and Robin burst into the room, Robin’s bow drawn back as he aimed at the location the screeching and screaming had come from, both expressions were held with pure determination to take down the source of the commotion.

“What the hell is going on?” Robin pointed the arrow around the room, heading further in as David came down to Killian and Nadri’s level, fearing for their safety.

  
“It’s okay, put your weapon down.” Killian ordered, Robin waving it around and flinching every time the arrow was pointed in his direction.

  
“We heard screaming. Are you okay?” David questioned Nadri intently, Robin lowering his bow and arrow behind as he held his hand out for Nadri to take as Killian helped himself up from the floorboards. Nadri carefully took his hand, David could see the woman had a terrible fright and that she was still shaking and frightened from her dream.

  
“We heard someone shout Hades, so we came as fast as we could.” Nadri’s cheeks blushed, embarrassed that the whole house had heard her fitting out in her dream. It felt so real.

“It was me. Zu'u los krosis.” Nadri apologized quietly, running a hand over her face. “It was a hahnu…a dream.”

  
“Don’t be sorry. We can only imagine what you’ve been through down here, Nadri.” David was sympathetic to her, giving her a warm smile that he hoped would let her see him as an ally and not as an enemy. “Is there something we can do?”

“Best not bombard her, ay mate?” Killian was protective of her, keeping close to her. Nadri couldn’t only smile at his overprotective nature.

  
“I honestly think I just need to take a shower.” Nadri admitted sheepishly, feeling the sweat becoming uncomfortable to sit with. “I’ll be okay, don’t worry.” Nadri told Killian, seeing his face become unwary. “I can’t slip and die.”

“Um, guys? There’s a man in the garden.” Robin’s voice came from the window, staring out at the front garden that surrounded the porch steps.

  
“What?” David knitted his eyebrows together and joined Robin at the window, Killian indicating Nadri to wait by the door as he also joined his friends.

“In the garden, there is a man.” Robin reiterated again, peering past the curtain to see there was in fact a man in the garden. The three men peeked around the window to see a tall man of an average build standing in the middle of the green, his hands comfortably in the pockets of his jacket and he stared at the house as if he was waiting for someone to come out of the front door. “Do you know him?”

“No I’ve never seen him before.”

  
“That’s my brother.” Killian interrupted, finally getting a word in between David and Robin. He whipped around quickly, heading back to Nadri. “Get in the shower, love. I’ll meet you downstairs, there’s someone I want you to be meet.” Killian kissed her cheek lovingly before disappearing from her sight and out of the room.

Nadri came over to the window where David and Robin were still nosing outside as if the neighbors had an argument and they wanted to know what it was all about. Nadri watched as Killian came out of the house, his arms wide as he embraced his brother happily, both of them hugging and patting each other on the back.

She guessed that she was about to meet the Brothers Jones.

* * *

Nadri rested her arms against the tiles of the shower as the steaming water poured down her back. She lifted her head, letting the water run down her face and she rubbed her hands over her cheeks, trying to wake herself up from the nightmare that she had suffered through. She let the droplets run down her body, her skin reddening at the temperature of the water steaming off her skin. She needed the feeling of Hades creeping along her skin to be gone, even if it meant scrubbing her skin so hard that it would be red raw.

She just wanted the feeling gone.

Nadri stepped out of the walk in shower and back into the bedroom that the three men had left her in, patting her hair between the towel’s fabrics to dry it as she stepped in. Her long, curly black hair was still damp as she wrapped it up tightly in a chignon. She took a deep breath, looking at herself in the mirror on the wall before closing her eyes, still controlling her breathing. Her eyes opened again, her body now covered in the almost see-through, scaly material of the long purple dress that she had died in. Nadri felt comfortable being in the outfit that brought her comfort from the moment she had been turned into this being.

  
Nadri left the bedroom and headed out into the hallway, gracefully walking down the staircase, a new voice slowly coming into earshot as she made her way down and heading in the direction of the dining room.

“Liam, what about you? Why are you down here?” Emma’s voice was heard first and Nadri knitted her eyebrows together, slowly down before she came into the view of those in the dining room. She knew that voice, listening closer.

“I wish I knew. I spent countless years trying to figure out a reason.” A very well-spoken voice was heard next and that’s when she had realized that Killian’s brother had already come across Nadri’s path when she was searching for Nathaniel all those years back. She smiled, another soul that she had known.

  
“There is no reason. Hades has the game rigged so no one can leave. My brother's-“ Killian stopped when he saw Nadri walk into the room, smiling at her now that she was looking a lot better than she did cowering on the bedroom floor. She was now wearing the dress that she had on when they first met, she looked so elegant and powerful that Killian could have showed her off on his ship for all of the world to see.

“Nadri.” Liam sat up, greeting the woman that had entered the room, almost knocking the glass of water that was in front of him. “You look-“

“Eyes off, brother.” Killian chuckled, taking Nadri’s hand as she came and sat down next to him. “How are you feeling, love? Better?” Nadri nodded, Killian still holding her hand as she sat down with him.

“You’re together?” Liam couldn’t have sounded more dumbfounded if he tried. Nadri raised an eyebrow at Killian as he dipped his head, nervously laughing. Emma just sat there at the table letting the conversation exchange between them with an awkward expression. “Don’t be bashful, Killian. If you are with a strong, beautiful woman you should make it known.”

  
“Now isn’t the time for the big brother talk, hm?” Nadri could see in Killian’s face that he was silently praying his brother would stop embarrassing him. “I didn’t realize you knew each other.

“He runs the er…club?” Nadri raised an eyebrow and Liam nodded, smiling. “The club in town. I met him not long after I came to this realm. He was very helpful.” Nadri praised him and Killian kept the great grin on his face, clearly proud of his big brother.

“That’s my brother. He’s always been helpful. He’s never did a bad thing in his life. He even died nobly, stopping a treacherous king from poisoning the realm.” Killian endorsed his brother incredibly.

“Stop it. You're making me blush.” Liam held a timid smile, Emma smiling greatly beside him too. “Besides, I want to know about this.”

  
“I’m bringing her back with me.” Killian said with certainty, holding Nadri’s hand. “Nadri helped me while I’ve been down here. She saved me. Its only time I returned the favor. The only way everyone will get free is if we defeat Hades once and for all. Liam, Nadri, you've been down here a very long time. Surely you must know something that can help us.” Killian asked the room and Nadri thought to herself. She knew that Hades was very private and personal with his own belongings but there had been very few that had ventured into domain they’d usually get thrown into the Pit for trying to overthrow Hades.

“Anyone who came into the domain would usually get sent to the Pit. I’ve heard of a book but not for a few hundred years now. It became irrelevant.” Nadri answered Killian, not thinking that the book that was spoken about in passing would have been of any relevance to them.

“I think it's a Storybook.” Emma finally spoke after sitting there for so long.

“Storybook? Oh, I wager it would take more than stories.”

“No, no, no, no, no. She's onto something. In our world, there's a book like this.”

“Everything up there has a version down here. There has to be one in the Underworld.” Emma explained to Liam and Nadri raised an eyebrow.

“You think a story book would truly help us? Hades is a God, Emma.”

“Henry knew your story when no one else did, that’s how he got everyone to trust you. If there’s something we didn’t know about you, there must be something we don’t know about Hades.”

“If you believe in this, Killian, I'm with you to the end. This fiend trapped me and tortured you. The day you push your sailors too far...”

“…Is the day the mutiny begins.” Killian finished, smiling at his brother. He turned to Nadri, looking down at the young woman sitting next to him at the table. “What say you, love? Are you with me?” He flashed her a smile. She remembered what he said.

  
“Always, _raaviir_.”


	12. NOKIN

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say thank-you to everyone who has been reading this far and has been so intrigued in the story.   
> I had a late update tonight but I hope you all enjoy nonetheless and are enjoying Nadri's story. I am planning on starting her backstory this week for hopefully the first update on Friday! <3

There was a heavy debate between the heroes on whether or not Nadri could accompany them to the Blanchard apartment, knowing that Hades had eyes and ears everywhere within the Underworld to make he would be able to drag Nadri straight back down to his domain without any chance to escape again.

Henry, Emma, Killian and surprisingly Regina were on Nadri’s side of bringing her along because she knew about the Underworld and about Hades the most out of everyone because of the agonizing time she had spent down in his control. David and Robin were completely against putting Nadri in harm’s way, especially after what had happened in Emma’s house and Nadri had been completely knocked sideways after the nightmare that felt so terribly real. Liam leaned over on Nadri not going even though he had only been back in Nadri’s presence in the last few hours.

“Do I not get a say in this?” Nadri raised an eyebrow as they all sat at the dining room table, as if they were going to keep her under house arrest. She wanted to help as much as she could, knowing what she knew about Hades and promising her _raaviir_ that she would be by his side throughout. “I know the Underworld like the back of my hand, _joriin._ ”

  
“I don’t think it’s safe. If Hades can get you then that’ll be it.” David shook his head, trying to sound sympathetic to her situation but Nadri wasn’t having any of it. “We won’t see you again.”

“I will not break. What happened earlier…earlier took me off _dein._ ” Nadri mumbled out. “You need me.”

“We don’t need Hades straight on our backs, darling.” Robin chimed in.

  
“Now, Nadri, Hades will be trying to bring all of his efforts together to find you.” Liam contributed, making Nadri narrow her eyes at the oldest Jones brother. Who was he to have any say in this? Nadri had only bumped into Liam very few times when she was searching for Nathaniel, he didn’t know her enough to comment on her situation. None of them did, not even Killian himself.

“Nadri could help us a lot. There could be passages, secret places where the book could be that we wouldn’t have even thought of.” Regina defended, helping towards Nadri’s case.

“Am I invisible?” Nadri rolled her eyes as they began to talk between them. “My deal is to help you, all. Including Rumpelstiltskin. I do not want to lose myself back into slavery because you are all too heroic to have extra help.” Nadri raised an eyebrow, leaning back into the chair that she was sitting on and she crossed her arms over her chest. A few sighed, muttering to themselves as they got up from the table and Nadri couldn’t help but let a smirk slide through.

“So, are we going to get going or not? I think the lady has made her choice.” Nadri’s eyes landed on Killian, who had been grinning at her the whole time. He winked in her direction and her cheeks tinted a pale rose. 

“Let’s start at the apartment.” Snow had shrugged, being impartial to Nadri the whole time. She was still weary around her after the scene in the caves with Hercules. “That’s where I found the Storybook in the first place so we can check there.”

“Lead the way.” Emma spoke to Regina, everyone bringing themselves up from the table to gather around Regina. Nadri’s hand was taken by Killian, holding her tightly. Regina conjured the clouds and smoke around her, bringing all of her magic together and bringing them into new surroundings of the Blanchard apartment.

It was new surroundings to Nadri, perhaps more strangely than Emma’s house. She looked around curiously, looking at the half-open planned apartment with stairs that led up to another bedroom. It was still wrecked from Cerberus storming through and trashing the apartment, debris had been cleared up and anything else that had gotten broken. David walked around the room, heading to a book case that was kept next to the couch in the middle of the room. He rummaged around the bookcase and brought back an old wooden box, detailed with carved flowers along the edges of the box.

David started searching through the box, flicking through pages but there was no book that Nadri could see.

  
“I’m sorry, this was a wasted trip.”

“Are we really surprised? That book is the embodiment of hope, and there's not a lot of that here in the Underworld.” Regina sighed, turning around with her hands on her hips as David shut the lid of the box, pushing it aside.

“Let's just keep looking, it’ll be here somewhere.” David said and the group dispersed, beginning to turn the flat upside down as they searched for the Storybook. Nadri left Emma and Killian looking around downstairs as she headed upstairs mindlessly, curious and wondering around at the new objects that she hadn’t seen before in her life.

Nadri headed up the stairs and began to look through the chest of drawers. She wasn’t entirely sure what she was meant to be looking for, she knew that the Storybook was that – a storybook. She was told it was large and had Once Upon a Time penned neatly on the front cover. Nadri just hoped that she would find it soon enough without alerting any of the eyes that Hades had sent to watch the movements of the Savior.

“Can we talk, Nadri?” Nadri gasped, hearing Liam’s voice quietly behind her as she rummaged through the doors.

  
“By the Gods, Liam, please you can’t sneak like that.” Nadri shook her head, breathless. She closed the drawer, straightening up as she stood opposite the pirate’s brother. He kept his hands warm in his coat pockets as he stared down at Nadri with his aging green eyes. “Did you find it?”

  
“No, I was wondering if we could talk about Killian.” His well-spoken accent asked her and Nadri nodded, seemingly confused at why they were talking about Killian without his presence in the room. “Killian blames himself for ending up here, but he told me what happened. Killian's been fighting darkness his entire life and he gave into it in an instant.”

“Liam, myself and Killian have only touched on the subject.” Nadri stopped him, shaking her head not wanting to hear the rest. “If he does not wish me to know his past I will not push him. He does not push me with mine.” She told Liam softly, not wanting Killian to overhear their conversation.

  
“That’s the issue, Nadri.” Liam lowered his voice, coming closer to her. “You’ve both clearly become very close. Does he know what will happen when Hades is defeated and you get your magic back?” He whispered and Nadri hushed him, taking his arm and bringing him further away from the stairs where Killian and Hook were standing at the bottom discussing if the book could have been hidden in another location. “My little brother seems to be blinded by your beauty and good looks, that won’t help him when you turn back into a beast and he will be heartbroken.

“I care deeply for Killian.” Nadri responded in a loud whisper. “I would never dare to hurt him.”

“Yet when Hades is gone you will have no choice but to go back to what you were. Killian feels for you deeply, I can see that, but do you know what it would do to him?” Nadri bit her lip, looking down to the ground.

She had forgotten. She had gotten lost in the moments and renewing her memories that she had completely bypassed the part of what would happen when the deal is finally broken and done with. The crystal holding all of her magic hostage would come back to her, finally the reign of terror ending and she would be transformed back into her mythical body. She wouldn’t be able to touch someone as a human being again. She wouldn’t be able to feel the sun on her pale skin, only her dark scales.

She wouldn’t be able to love.

“Whatever is going on between the both of you, it needs to stop and you need to let him move on from this realm.” Nadri shot a look back up to Liam and his self-righteous energy. “Do you really think he’d love you like that?” Liam inquisitively questioned her, as if he was trying to purposely taunt her. 

“Stop.” A sharp tone left Nadri’s lips. “Just stop.”

“I’m sorry for reminding you Nadri, but I care for my brother. You obviously don’t know how far that extends.”

  
“Oh yes because the dragon doesn’t have an expanding concept of human emotions.” Nadri snapped back, louder this time and Liam hushed her clearly not wanting to be heard by his little brother. “Do you think I wanted all of this? I was happy running. I wanted to run and hide away. I wasn’t expecting a _raaviir_ to come running into my cell and help him escape. To think of Killian being hurt…it killed me.” Nadri ended in a frightened whisper, remembering the chills that ran through her body when Killian had been dragged away to the River of Lost Souls. All the pain she felt surged in her body, like it was crumbling from the inside out.

  
“That’s why it needs to stop.” Liam left it at that, beginning to slip away from Nadri and back down the stairs. Nadri felt angry tears threatening to spill, mentally scolding herself for the human emotions she was given and the need to always be crying.

‘ _Stop being pathetic.’_ She told herself heatedly in her mind, taking a deep breath and continuing to get down on the ground and look underneath Emma’s bed for the Storybook, focusing on the one thing that was important right now. Nadri could hear Emma and Liam exchanging words downstairs and the surge of fire just seemed to burn in her more and more. Steps were taken to get up the stairs, Nadri pulling herself out and up from the underneath the bed and she turned to the soul that had taken the trip upstairs.

“You all right, love?” She was met with Killian’s gorgeous, soul wandering eyes. He was looking into her with deep concern, seeing the expression on her face that he had seen too many times already.

“I’m okay, Killy.” Nadri half-heartedly smiled, Killian still staring her down like he was searching for a hint of the lie that she was telling him. Nadri knew that Killian could read her like a book already, as a human she didn’t know how to lie. Hades had threatened her with violence and she could only just about keep her cool to lie. Killian knew something wasn’t right. “Did you need something?”

  
“Nadri…” Killian trailed off but Nadri brushed past him and towards the top of the staircase.

“ _Ruveyzun_ , please.” She sighed, looking back to the man who cared so much for her if his heart was in his chest it would burst for her. Nadri’s voice changed and she kept trying to look away from him and down the stairs, desperate to escape from the encounter like a wounded animal looking for safety. “I am fine, my _lokaal._ ”

Killian still wasn’t accepting it.

  
“Is it _him?_ Is he getting in your head again?” Killian spoke worriedly, referring to Hades, and Nadri shook her head trying to grit her teeth to keep tears back. “I’m worried, love. You’ve not been right since your dream…” He trailed off, looking at the young woman. It was like she had gone white as a sheet as soon as he had mentioned the dream that was still playing in the back of her mind.

Nadri shook her head, the only thing she could do. If she had spoken, her voice would break into little pieces. She wasn’t ready for the conversation that they needed to have, why did Liam have to be so cruel and bring it up now? She approached him, seeing his sad-puppy dog eyes covered in eyeliner, and pressed her hands on either side of his face. Nadri stared into his eyes, it was like getting lost at sea after the storm had hit, standing on her tip toes. She gently pressed her lips against his, wanting to feel his comfort.

“You’re really worrying me now, love.”

“I feel for you, _Ruveyzun_.” Nadri ghostly whispered against his lips. “I would exchange a mountain of gold for your happiness. Every single gold coin.” Nadri looked up at him, her face still close to his as he leaned down. Killian knitted his eyebrows together and was about to speak but Nadri cut him off with another passionate kiss. “I am glad you found me.”

By the Gods, she was close to sobbing in his arms there and then.

“I’m glad I found you, Nadri.” Killian gave back her affection as she sweetly caressed his face. “I’ve not known you to be so gooey.” She couldn’t help but laugh at Killian’s strangely worded compliment. “Could we do it less cryptic next time? We’ve got a book to find and then we’re home free.” He kissed her once more, wrapping his arm around her back and pulling her in closer.

Home free…Now that would be a beautiful thing.


	13. KRENT

Nadri sat in the Blanchard apartment whilst the group decided on going about daily business and activities to not alert any further suspicion on what was going on. Liam back to work which Nadri was thankful for, not wanting to be around his energy any further. Snow White and David had gone to find Cruella DeVil in some hopes on finding the key to the Sorcerer’s Mansion, something that had been neglected to the discussion earlier on when they were all in the apartment together due to Henry disappearing out while they were planning. Emma had hoped that getting inside the Sorcerer’s Mansion would then lead to them being able to break into the library and find the Storybook if it was hidden there at all. 

Nadri had no choice but to stay cooped up inside, she sat on the sofa with her knees up to her chest as she comfortably enjoyed being able to sit on the furniture without her master yelling at her not to do so. Her dress was laid out across the three seater, draping off the sofa. She knew that she couldn’t leave in case any of Hades’ hellhounds would be able to sniff her out and bring her back into his domain, dragging her there if they had to. Her arms were folded and resting on her knees while her chin sat on her arm, her intricate eyes watching through the window of the apartment and out to the souls wandering the streets.

All that was occupying her mind was telling Killian what would happen if they defeated Hades. There would be no contract, nothing to bind her to the human body that was conjured for her. Nadri would be who she truly was, a _Dovah_ occupying a lonely mountain.

It sat in her thoughts for hours on end.

Henry came bursting through the door after a few hours, ushering Killian, Nadri and Robin to hurry because Snow had managed to grab the key. They had rushed out with him, meeting with the others outside of the Sorcerer’s Mansion. It was one of the biggest houses in the Underworld. When they had all met there, Nadri’s first thought was how classy and elegant the large house was. It had been built with cypress wood and has red pine wooden decorations with small, rectangular windows allow enough light to enter the home. It was beautiful, she greatly admired something she never had, a real home.

“I guess old White Beard was telling the truth, it really is here.” Killian stated, looking at the building and then looked over to Henry who rummaged through his pocket and showed the tiny, battered silver key and dangled it in his hand. “There’s a protection spell on the door, it could be dangerous to open it.” Nadri smiled, shaking her head and feeling the cool air tickling her bare shoulders and neck. She took the key from Henry and approached the steps of the house, her dress dragging gently along the steps as she approached the solid door with a matching lock.

“I’ve been dead a long time, _muz._ I don’t think this spell applied to dead _Dovahkiin._ ” Nadri gave a nervous smile back to them as she placed the key in the lock. She apprehensively turned it, bracing herself for the magic to shove her backwards with a harsh push.

…

…Nothing happened.

Nadri sighed with a relieved smile, twisting the handle and slowly opening the door. The others approached from behind her with caution of what could be lying behind the door and in the house. Nadri stepped in first, being greeted with a deep plum coloured hallway runner that had a few shades difference in her own dress. She looked around at the dark surroundings and up at the sparkling, crystal chandelier.

  
“It’s _brit_.” Nadri was in awe as she looked around at the expensive furniture, moving towards the spiral ebony stairs. “I’ve never been in a _hofkah_ like this before.” Killian let a small smile appear on his lips as he watched her touching her surroundings.   
  
“We should split up... move fast.” Liam cut in, Nadri glancing back at him and feeling uncomfortable again.

“Uh, yeah. I guess. Henry, uh, you got to stay here.” Emma turned around to Henry, whose expression looked as if she had kicked a puppy right in front of his eyes.

“But this was my idea. I'm not gonna stand behind and do nothing.” Henry reacted defensively and Emma put on her protective parenting mode. “You're not doing nothing. You're the lookout.” She made it sound less unfortunate than it actually was, even Nadri knew that it meant that Henry had the most boring job in the group.

  
“Lookout?”

“Don't argue with your mother.” Regina scolded as Emma approached a doorway on the ground floor.

“But...”

  
“Or your mother.” Regina said again, Henry turning around with a huff and Nadri couldn’t help but smile, Henry was such an inspiring child to Nadri. She liked his wit and his positive attitude, she could imagine him well as a cheeky _Dovah._

Regina and Liam went in separate directions, Liam picking up quite a pace as he went whilst Killian and Nadri headed up the stairs together, beginning to look around all of the cabinets and display cases that were laid out throughout the house. It had become a museum.

“What you said earlier, love…” Killian began as he and Nadri moved into one room, Nadri getting down on the ground and searching through cupboards and doored display cases. “Did you er-“

“Did I mean it?” It was like Nadri could read his nervous mind. They had spent enough time in each other’s pockets to know what the other was like and when the other was afraid to speak. “Of course, Killy.” Nadri looked back at him from her position on the ground, smiling. “I couldn’t lie to you.” She looked back down, leaning in the cupboard and frowning when it constantly came to a dead end. Killian felt like the conversation had immediately shut down, frowning to himself as he continued to walk on. She had been acting so strange since her dream, apart from earlier on, she had been consistently trying to avoid conversations to do with any sort of emotion between the two of them.

They both continued to look around the room and eventually came to a defeat.

“I’ve found it!” Liam yelled throughout the house, Nadri and Killian both looking at each other before he came over and helped her off of the ground and they headed back downstairs with a rush.

The group were all standing around the book that was laid on the table, beautiful gold etchings on the front cover and perfectly displayed for them to find. Regina went over to it first, desperately opening the book and flicking through the thick, decorated pages. Nadri stood in the back of the group, swallowing hard. Nerves crept through her, could this have been it? Finding the key to defeating Hades, liberating her forever.

“There’s nothing.” Regina slammed her hands down on the book with frustration, making Nadri jump. “There's no mention of Hades' story anywhere. Why am I not surprised?” Regina looked down, her hands on both sides of the book and sighed heavily. Emma slipped the book away from Regina, opening up and seeing that there was three heavily ripped paper lines running down the spine of the book.

“There's some pages that are missing.” Emma stated the obvious, her fingers resting on the torn paper. Nadri’s emotions had gone from a high to a low and back to a high within seconds, she was exhausted of hearing more and more evidence that they were going to get nowhere with defeating Hades. She wanted to be done with her deal, she wanted these people safe and she wanted Killian safe.

“Back during the first curse, I tore my story out of Henry's book so he wouldn't know I was the Evil Queen.” Regina looked up, a thoughtful expression on her face.

“Well, if Hades has done the same, we don't stand much chance of finding it.” Killian put his hand (and hook?) on his hips, also stumped in the situation.

“You found it, Liam?” Nadri spoke, looking towards Liam suspiciously. He simply nodded in return. “Surely they must have been something to indicate that it had been _vuldit_ ….er…tampered with?” Nadri tried, still looking towards Killian’s brother with a quizzical expression.

“No and until I find any, I'll choose to have hope.” Liam returned her suspicion with sickly over-confidence. “Those pages could have fallen out and still be in this house, and I, for one, won't give up without trying to find them.” Liam stormed past Nadri, acting as if he was bravely walking out but Nadri didn’t believe the atmosphere around him. It was almost as if it was unnerving. She knew how that felt more than anyone.

“Are you coming, love? We need to find those pages.” Killian began to follow Liam who was already gone from the room, earning confused looks from the others. Nadri’s eyes darted back to the Storybook, curious of her own fable that lied inside. She pulled herself away and began to follow Killian quietly. “You have barely said a few words, Nadri. What’s wrong?” Killian brought up against as the both of them headed down the stairs, Killian looking back at her every so few steps.

“I’ve had a lot to occupy my mind, _raaviir._ ” Nadri replied as Killian stood down in the hallway at the last step, spinning on his heel to look back at the woman that he had grown so fond of.

“I know _you_ , Nadri. You can’t lie. It’s like soon as you try to lie your voice gets high-pitched and you start trying to divert the subject.” Killian crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at Nadri as if she was a child about to be told off. He broke the tension with a gentle smile and Nadri was still trying to avoid his eyes. “Nadri.”

  
“I think Liam is hiding something.” Nadri suddenly spilled out, having enough of Killian repeatedly saying her name in a pleading tone. “He got here after I did, Killy. He made a lot of trips into the domain, those that I had to escort him to.” Nadri spoke to him and he began to make an outrageous expression, as if he didn’t believe a single word that came out of her mouth. Nadri couldn’t help but snort with a small laugh at his face, this man was hellbent on trying to convince her he knew the truth and then why she tells him her concerns it’s not believed.

  
“That's preposterous. My brother wouldn't lie.” Killian shook his head in utter disbelief, watching as Nadri walked towards the front door. “Where are you going?”

“I’m not going to _fahbo_ this conversation, _Ruveyzun_. You do not believe me.” Nadri said simply. “I wouldn’t lie to you, Killy. You already know that.”

  
“That’s why you’ve been acting out of character since Liam got to the house. Look, if something happened between you and my brother before I got here-“ Nadri almost choked on her own salvia at Killian’s accusation. “-But that’s no reason to accuse him of being dishonest.” She looked at him with wide eyes, any wider they would have started to hurt. Nadri couldn’t believe what was coming out of his mouth, did he forget everything that she had told him the last few days? She couldn’t even leave the throne room without having a reasonable excuse and this pirate in front of her was accusing her of having a sordid affair.

“I don’t believe there is a word in the _Dovah_ language for this.” Nadri wondered, still in a state of shock of Killian’s reply. “Asshole.” Nadri spat nastily, Killian returning her surprised look after the curse left her mouth. Before Killian could stutter any words of justification, she disappeared through the door and slammed it with such a force the whole building rumbled behind her.

Nadri turned the corner, heading around to the garden where she could hear a faint voice, almost whispering to himself. She listened closer and she could see that Liam was by a well-made of stone and bricks around the back of the house, mumbling to himself. Her anger flared further, eyes squinting at him and immediately stormed up to him.

  
“You have some _pahsu._ ” Nadri angrily vented as Liam spun around hurriedly, as if Nadri had caught him in the act of doing something he shouldn’t of. “Killian thinks we were having a _trun_ …an affair!” Nadri exclaimed with a high voice, still upset that Killian would have suggested such a thing. “This is your fault!” She shoved him with force, almost knocking the taller gentlemen over.

  
“What are you so upset about, Nadri? You were going to tell him the truth about something regardless.” It wasn’t what Liam seemed to think it was. Nadri had been so confided within herself that she knew the consequences of what would happen the moment that Hades was destroyed. It wasn’t something she was able to feel hopeful towards in all the years she had been in the Underworld. She wanted to be given the choice on what would happen, not have it forced upon her.

  
“I know a liar when I see one and I also see one of Hades pets when I see one.” Nadri snapped, her words becoming poisonous. She read Liam’s face, she could almost see a flicker of fear. “That’s why you were down there, there was a deal. Killian knows, I told him.”

  
“He wouldn’t believe you.” Liam approached her, trying to put on a bravado persona in front of the smaller woman. “Maybe you should tell him about your own deal.” He was trying to cover the fear with cruel toned words. Nadri stared at him, her eyes searching through his soul and she could see that small glint of darkness just beaming back at her. She couldn’t believe a single word he said. It was almost as if her dream was a warning. Hades was in her mind to warn her about Liam coming to the house and since then, things have been a complete magical hindrance everywhere they looked.

“Does Hades know? Was there a deal, hm? Take the pages, give me to him and all will be forgiven?” She cocked her head, determined with seething words. Liam refused to answer, stormy blue eyes glaring back at her. “Does Hades know I’m here?!” Nadri’s voice came out into a yell, clutching at Liam’s jacket fiercely and held him close.

“What the bloody hell is going on out here?!” Killian’s yelling was heard from behind them, hurriedly pacing towards them as Nadri shoved Liam back against the well, Liam grunting as his hip collided with the bricks. “Nadri?”

“I was telling you the truth, _raaviir_.” Nadri was still fuelled with anger towards Liam, beginning to pace around with this brimming anger. “He took the pages, a deal was made. He is _nokin._ ” She tried to convince Killian but Liam just stood there shaking his head, beginning to put on his big brother protection.

“She’s lying, Killian.” Liam fought back, placing a hand on his little brother’s shoulder reassuringly. “Nadri has been using you.” Nadri felt like her neck was going to snap from the amount of whiplash she endured from so suddenly looking around to Liam as the words left his mouth. “As soon as Hades is defeated, there is no contract. Which means she will turn back into her original form.” Liam looked back at Nadri, Killian next to him with a heart-broken face beginning to appear on his features. “She’s using you to gain her power back.”

“No!” Nadri refused his lies, her eyes forming tears that were threatening to spill when she realised that she could see Killian was actually debating the possibility of her playing with his heart. “My _suleyk_ is irrelevant, Killian.”

  
“Why didn’t you tell me then? You were just going to keep this going until you were suddenly powerful again?” Killian brokenly replied, his brother still supportive at his side.

  
“By the Gods, Killian Jones!” Nadri wanted to throttle him by his shoulders for believing such lies. She comprehended how much of a hold Liam truly had over his brother’s influence. “I hadn’t thought of what would happen. If I was so concerned about power, why would I save you? Why would I tell you the things I have?” Nadri’s tears fell from her eyes regardless. “You saved me.” She could have sobbed. She didn’t understand the immense emotion that was piercing through her heart would have affected her so much.

  
Killian swallowed the lump in his throat as Liam patted his shoulder, looking back at the woman standing there with tears running down her cheeks and feeling like she could have let the earth swallow her whole.

“Did you think that making my brother out to be a villain would mean that it would give you more time to lie to me?” Killian was close to her, Liam moving away as Nadri reached out for the man she felt so strongly for but Killian caught her wrists.

“He is twisting with my words, _Ruveyzun_. He is not the man you remember.” She wanted him to hear the truth that her words were soaked in. Her eyes glanced across to Liam who was standing behind Killian with such a devious demeanour. Nadri covered her mouth, pushing back the sob trying to emerge as Killian’s hand still lingered on one of her wrists. “I wanted to do this but not here and now, like this.”

“Then when?”

“When I felt ready to talk about sacrificing my power for someone I love!” Nadri cried back at Killian raising his voice towards her. Killian stared at her in a daze, still assessing the words that had come out of her mouth in sobs. “I was going to tell you when I knew I wasn’t going to back out of my decision.” Nadri stepped away from Killian, unable to take anymore. She pushed past him, Killian ghostly trying to reach out for her hand but she had past him quicker than he anticipated, retreating past Liam.

Nadri couldn’t bear to continue the conversation anymore when it meant breaking the heart of someone she had cared so deeply for. Even hearing Killian calling after Nadri gave her more reason to choke back her sobs as she headed off the property and out onto the main road.


	14. DOVAHIL

Hours past, it felt as if a hundred years had passed right past her. Nadri could agree to the statement, she had been lost in the Underworld for several hundred years. Just for the past few hours of sitting near the edge of the lake that Nadri had stumbled across when leaving the Sorcerer’s Mansion, Nadri was trapped in her own mind. She was breathing heavily on choked sobs, her mind constantly running through the possibilities of what would happen next. Her hand laid upon the golden necklace around her throat, her fingers brushing the dent of the missing jewel.

All she could think of was pulling the damn thing off her neck and crushing it within her hand with one squeeze.

Nadri imagined what it would be like just to be in her own body again. Flying across the mountains of Asari, at peace in her mind. It had been so long since she had felt like that before she had been forcefully changed into a new body. To have all the power of a _Dovah_ was powerful, dark magic but to have all that magic and for it not to be used for bad was the worst thing that Nadri could think of. She didn’t want to be a prisoner again, she wanted to make her own choices and not be forced to do anything she didn’t want to anymore.

She just didn’t want to be alive to make the choice.

Nadri took a deep, shuddering breath as she closed her eyes. She was exhausted, mentally battling the will to continue roaming this realm. She wanted out. She _needed_ out.

_‘Could I really get Killian out of this? Would he forgive me?’_ Nadri thought to herself, sitting on the edge of the lake and playing with the thin material that draped over her porcelain white legs. The material had begun to hang off the edge, Nadri looking into the deep water as her the ends shimmering dress began to soak from the water. She just stared at it, her purple eyes tracing the movements of the water gently rippling across the lake. It was a beautiful sight, in the middle of the forest where she couldn’t be found by any of Hades’ prying guards. She wanted to be there forever. She could lay in the lake and let it consume her.

When Hades found her, why didn’t she just jump into the River?

End it all there and then?

**_Crack._ **

She heard a branch snap from behind the thick lines of trees, Nadri stumbling to get up as she felt like a deer caught in the headlights at the sudden movement. She held her hands out ready for what was going to emerge, hearing more cracking of branches, leaves being tussled on the ground and bushes shaking. What she could do was not much, but at least she could try and defend herself.

“Show yourself, _zuruniik_. The Gods are with me today.” Nadri called out to the noise behind the foliage as it continued to rustle. “ _Laasyahnir.”_ Nadri whispered, barely audible, and her eyes changed into a darker, more purple-red colour. Her vision turned into black, the shadows of the woodland animals around her were outlined in a light grey with a pulsing red aura inside of them. She could see through the forest in front of her, a light grey outline of a person was coming towards her with the smoky red cloud within them.

“Nadri!” Nadri gasped, shaking her head and letting magic fall away from her eyes. She looked back up to see Killian popping his head around the bush with both of his hands up in defence, clearly hearing her earlier threat. “It’s me.”

  
“By the Gods, Killian.” She shook her head with a breath, bringing her hands down from him. “How did you find me out here?” Nadri asked him, letting her guard down further as he showed her a small piece of fabric that had been torn away from Nadri’s dress in a previous struggle against Hades. She narrowed her eyes, staring at it with a confused look.

  
“I got Regina to put a tracking spell on this.” Nadri pressed her lips together, hoping to have been left alone in her sulk. “I wanted to keep it so you could fix your dress, love.” Killian told her quietly and holding it out at an arm’s length as if he was handing her a peace offering. She took the piece of fabric from his hand and coming closer to him. Her soul swelled at the sight of him, she wanted to confide him into a hug like he had done to her many times.

Nadri read his face, looking at his solemn expression and saddened eyes. Something had happened in the time she had gone from the house. The moonlight peered through the leaves and trees of the thick forest, glinting down on the couple standing apart and reflected off the lake next to them.

“I shouldn’t have let you go like that.” His voice was still upset, shaking his head with regret of letting her wander off into the night.

“What’s happened, _Ruveyzun?”_ Nadri asked him, reading him like a book.

“You were right about Liam.” Killian finally spoke with a disgruntled, guilty tone. He ran a hand through his black hair and then down the stubble along his face, the rings littering his fingers gleamed in the light of the moon. Nadri waited patiently, so much had happened what part was she right about? “He destroyed those pages because of a deal he made with Hades years ago... A deal that almost got us thrown into a boiling sea.” She could hear the contempt and anger in his voice, Nadri wanting to reach out for him but after she had left the mansion, she felt a thickened tension.

“I’m sorry, Killy. I promise you I did not want part you and your brother.” Nadri promised him feeling saddened herself at Liam being able to lie to Killian so easily. She thought about herself momentarily, she didn’t lie exactly…just avoided the truth.

“He made another deal with the bastard.” Killian angrily referred to Hades, still visibly upset. “Liam was going to take you to Hades, in exchange for my life.” Nadri gawped, her energy beginning to rage at the pirate’s brother. Killian stepped over to her quickly, placing his hand comfortingly on her shoulder and looking deep into her eyes. “He sacrificed himself for me. For us. Hades won’t find you, love, I promise you that.” Nadri felt shell-shocked at the revelation. She knew something was wrong with Liam from the moment he stepped onto the front garden of Emma’s house but she didn’t realise that he would go so far as to make a deal with Hades for _her._

_“_ What if he still finds me? I can’t go back there, Killian, not again.” Her voice was full of worry and concern, Killian pulling her into a tight hug when she began to freak out.

“We will get out before then, love.” He mumbled into her neck, slightly bending down to be able to hug her.

“You know that’s not going to happen.” Nadri pulled away and looked up at the pirate with desperate eyes.

“I betrayed your trust, Killian. I should have told you about-“

  
“You did not betray me.” Killian couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s human error. You’re afraid and that’s okay. It’s okay to be afraid sometimes. Sometimes we lie to those we love to protect their feelings.” He explained, caressing her cheek. “If you want to leave this realm as your true being…I would never stop you, love.” Nadri could hear the crack in his voice and she brought him into a tight hug again. She wrapped her arms around him, embracing his beautiful tortured soul.

  
Nadri finally let out the sob that she had been guarding back with every strength of her mentality. She wailed into Killian’s chest, almost making the man fall to his knees at hearing the painful cries of the woman he fell so strongly for.

“I’m scared, Killian.” Nadri struggled out as she wept. Killian wrapped his arms tightly around her, rubbing her back as she continued to let her overwhelming emotions go over the edge of the dam. “I’m scared to move on in a new world. I’m scared to destroy all of this _suleyk_ …if it’s for nothing. I’m scared to be free.”

  
“It will never be for nothing.” Killian reinforced, kissing her head. “With or without me, Nadri, it will not be for nothing. You deserve to be free. I want to free the rage you feel. I would lay down my life for you. I know it’s not what you want me to say but maybe…maybe you could choose love over power…” It was as if the words were enhanced when Nadri heard them, hearing every single word filled with a great feeling within Killian’s gravely and well-spoken voice and every piece of emotion he was feeling as he said it. Nadri looked up at the pirate, his hand moving from her shoulder and reaching up to her cheeks to kiss her deeply.

Nadri was still shocked from the revelations, just about able to kiss back. She took in every single second that Killian’s lips were on hers, it was like an electric spark she needed to fill her soul with. Killian rested his forehead against hers, pleading with her soul. Nadri stared back into his crystal eyes, afraid of anything coming out of her mouth being the wrong thing to say.

“Power never meant anything to me when I couldn’t use it for good. I freed a tormented city and since then my power has been used against everyone.” Nadri sniffled. “I’m a terrible _joor._ I don’t understand these _pruvos_ …feelings. All I do is cry tears that I do not want. _I feel so much_. I could burn down this world if I lost you in it.” Nadri pulled away so she could look up at Killian, her face dripping wet and her cheeks red. Her words were coated with a fearful voice. “I would reduce it to ash.” Killian raised his hand back to her face, his thumb wiping away another tear that had escaped. “Why would I feel this way? These terrible things for your freedom?” He gave his charismatic smile, kissing her forehead softly. Nadri closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth he brought to her.

“Because that’s love.” He whispered against Nadri’s, embracing her lovingly again. Nadri burying herself into Killian again and held him so tightly to make sure he would not move away from her. She felt content within Killian, she didn’t want to leave the place they were in. She wanted to enjoy the peace, listening to the sounds of the wilderness around them. If only it wasn’t in the Underworld.

Nadri wanted to enjoy her new-found love.

She wanted to be out of this godforsaken place. Nadri wanted to be in a realm far away from this one.

Nadri pulled away from Killian slowly, holding both his hand and fingers lazily holding his hook. She gave him a small smile, taking a deep breath, Killian returning it with a brighter one.

“I want to be free, Killian.” She announced, confident in her words. “Whatever it takes.”

“You’re willing to give up your power?” Killian repeated in his own interpretation. “I wasn’t trying to-“

  
“- I want this.” Nadri cut Killian off, knowing that his words were not said to convince her to change her form. “I want to feel the sun as a free being. I want to come with you to Storybrooke without being controlled.” Nadri’s lips twitched into a bigger smile.

“Should we try and get home, love?”

“You read my mind, _raaviir_.”

* * *

Killian and Nadri wandered back to the Blanchard apartment after their emotional apologies, managed to get through undetected and when their got back to the apartment, Henry had revealed to them that the Author’s pen had been found and they could attempt to re-write Hades story. He struggled for a while, even with prompts from both of his mother’s. They called it a night, Henry storming off out of the apartment and they all exchanged glances between each other. Emma sighed at Henry, hearing him thudding his feet down the steps of the apartment block and declared that her and Henry were going to stay over in her own home.

“We can stay here, it’s our apartment after all…sort of.” Snow uneasily said, looking around at the less than colourful apartment with a grimace.

“Well me and Robin can go and stay with Emma. It’s probably best that we don’t let Nadri leave the apartment. It’s dark, Hades has eyes everywhere.” Regina said as she looked at Nadri, concerned for the woman as she held Killian’s hand, feeling awkward within the group of heroes. Nadri had never spent the night anywhere that wasn’t her cell or Hades’ bed. She had a nightmare even drifting off briefly with Killian in the room. Her stirring anxiety began to bubble, she just had to keep remembering the breathing technique that Emma had taught her.

Would she be like this when she would give away her power too?

“Great, scare the poor woman even more.” Robin chimed in at Nadri’s defence, looking at her with a sympathetic expression. “Sorry, darling.”

  
“Would it be okay if I stayed here, Snow?” Nadri asked Snow directly and politely, knowing that she still had an issue with the dragon-born woman. Snow was trying to warm up to Nadri, but after her wild attempt at trying to kill Emma she was allowed to be weary.

“I guess…it’s alright with me.” Snow nodded and Nadri silently thanked her. “We will be upstairs, we can make a bed for you both.”

“Thanks, Snow.” Killian appreciated her kindness and Nadri blushed heavily looking away from Killian. She had been close to the man before but Nadri had never shared a bed with another man that didn’t have ill intentions for her. Her mind couldn’t help but shyly wander into the realms of possibilities of trying to imagine Killian without his layers of black and leather covering his body.

“Let’s regroup in the morning at Granny’s and we’ll go from there. I’ll see you later sweetheart.” Emma gave her parents a kiss and a hug goodbye. Regina and Robin left together alongside them and Nadri looked around at the apartment. Snow and Charming told them both that they could go upstairs and take the bed that they had managed to put back into the top half of the loft.

They all said goodnight, the lights turning off in the apartment as Nadri shuffled upstairs, Killian close behind her. Nadri sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand up and down her arm as she suddenly felt her nerves beginning to bundle together and her mind started trying to convince that she would be plagued with nightmares again. She looked up at the pirate who was standing in front of her, bringing himself down to kneel in front of her.

  
“If you’re uncomfortable, love, I can sleep on the sofa.” He mumbled quietly, not wanting to wake up those who were also downstairs.

  
“I’m sorry, _raaviir_. The feeling of being cooped up in a room all over again…It makes me feel uneasy.” A sweet, apologetic smile crossed her plump pink lips.

“Nothing will happen. You have my word.” Killian took her hand tightly, kissing it firmly.

“Stay by my side….please?” Her eyes pleaded, and Killian stood up to walk around to the empty side of the bed, passing the drawers and wardrobes that had been draped into long white sheets to prevent them being covered in dust. Killian slipped his boots off, unscrewing the hook that glared out and placed himself down, leaning back on the double bed with his arm outstretched for Nadri to join him. “Are you not going to get comfortable, Killy?” Nadri referred to the layers of clothes that he was wearing, surely not comfortable enough to sleep in.

“I can sleep like this, love. I don’t want to be caught trousers down.” Killian gave her a lazy, tired smile. Nadri exhaled with a smaller one, laying back and scooting over to cuddle up to Killian, her head laying between the crook of his chest and shoulder and her hand rested on his chest to trace the skin under the slightly unbuttoned shirt.

“I can sleep like this too.” Nadri felt Killian’s fingers trace invisible patterns along her skin as she closed her eyes, wanting her to feel comforted. Killian began to drift off, his exhaustion hitting him in one fell swoop when his heavy, darkened eyes began to close after only 20 minutes of trying to stay guard. He began to twitch, his breathing getting heavier as he drifted off, snoring lightly while still clutching onto Nadri with a vice grip.

Killian didn’t usually dream but this time all he could think of was Nadri. He dreamt of being on his ship, waiting for him back in Storybrooke, going down below deck to see Nadri in one of the cabins on the bunk reading a book. She was no longer in her ethereal dress but she was now in more modern clothes, skinny jeans and a tight tank top. She looked up at him, glowing with a bright energy. She was smiling into his soul.

Nadri with her long dark hair squished up around the pillow that she had propped up to be able to read her book comfortably. She was happier, more content. As if the world wasn’t crushing down on her shoulders. The demons were no longer chasing her, that she was finally free. Killian dreamt of being able to whisk her away to any place that she wanted to go. He wanted her to see everything she could after being given a second chance of living her life to the fullest for the first time.

Killian wanted that so desperately for her.

Killian’s eyes unglued, blinking open at the morning light that began to fall over Storybrooke. He stretched out and felt the missing body that had been attached to him the whole night and found that she had disappeared. Killian shot up from the bed, stumbling and almost falling over as he rummaged the ground for his boots, still disorientated from just waking up. He swivelled the hook attachment back on the leather hide cover on his forearm and rushed over to the edge of wooden banister of the stairs to look over if Snow and Charming had woken up yet. Their coats were missing so he presumed that they had both left for the diner. 

The sight relieved him, letting out a sigh that almost had him shuddering. Nadri was standing in the kitchen, eyeing the gas oven as her stomach grumbled loudly and stared at it like it was about to invite her to battle. 

Killian couldn't help but laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry that I took an unexpected break from this story!  
> I had a lot of stuff happen over this week and I haven't been able to get back into writing because of the mindset I was in.  
> However I am back and ready to roll!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter <3


	15. VAHZAH LOKAAL

“Oh, you’re awake.” Nadri looked up at him looming over the bannister. Killian was still chuckling to himself as he watched Nadri in the middle of a standoff with the oven. “Snow suggested making breakfast since I can’t…you know…and the metal demon won’t set alight.” Nadri grumbled back at the oven, eyes staring it down as if it was going to light itself. A metal pan was sitting patiently on top of the hob, two eggs had been cracked in the pan but had now sunk in the cold oil and the yolks had split.

“You were going to make breakfast?” Killian gawped, moving around to come down the wooden stairs. Nadri looked back at him, the eyeliner slightly smeared underneath his eyes and his hair was tussled around like he had a fight with the pillow and the duvet at once. “Love?”

“Sorry, you look…very _venro_ in the morning light.” Nadri shyly pointed, Killian’s nervous smile slipping as he made his way down and moved around the dining room table to join Nadri in the kitchen. “I understand if you want to join Snow and David. I…can’t cook.” She sheepishly admitted. “Honestly I have never cooked eggs. Mostly chickens, goats…”

  
“I think you can keep that one to yourself.” Killian commented with an amused laugh, moving his hand over to the cooker to take the pan of eggs away.

“What was wrong with those?” Nadri’s voice was full of genuine hurt, as if she had insulted him with trying to prepare such a meal for him. Again, Killian chuckled, he couldn’t help it. She was a sweet and gentle soul underneath her scales, horns and dragon fire. “Why are you laughing?”

“We can’t eat that love, I’ve eaten some things and er well I can cook it its fine.” Killian dismissed, emptying the pan of the ruined eggs and replacing the oil before putting it back on the stove and clicking in the dial, letting the gas out and then lighting it. Nadri made a noise, somewhere between a squeak and hiss as the gas suddenly lit into fire. He opened the fridge, everything stocked to the fullest in an overly neat order. “Since you’re under house arrest and we have to sit here and wait, I’ll make _you_ breakfast.”

“I didn’t realise that a _raaviir_ would be so accustomed to this…oven.” Nadri said the name of the appliance as if it had offended her existence.

  
“I’ve learned, the same with the phone, all I know is if I press the Emma button she picks up.” Nadri narrowed her eyes, more confusing over her head as she watched carefully at Killian cracking in the eggs in the pan and cooking them.

“Oh, _raaviir_ , you speak in riddles.” Nadri giggled, sitting down at the table. She brushed the light fluff that got caught on her dress and Killian glanced over at her briefly. “I know what a vehicle is - the things out on the road. Some things I learned from Hades. A lot of this world is strange to me since he redecorated, it’s hard to keep up.” She spoke as she watched the soul wandering around the kitchen, going back to the fridge and pulling out a pack of bacon that had been hidden in the back of the fridge. Nadri tried to look over to see what he was doing, curiosity peaking her as he threw the bacon in the pan too.

  
“I’m sure Snow will have something around here for you if you’re sick of wearing that dress, not that it doesn’t look bloody beautiful on you love.” Killian couldn’t help himself. It felt…somewhat normal? He was cooking breakfast for God’s sake. He was at the stove cooking breakfast for the woman he felt so deeply for, talking about what they knew of the modern world as if they were actually living together in the apartment.

Nadri looked down, smiling to herself.

“Do you really like it?” Nadri looked back up at him, coyly eyeing him. The smell of cooked food hit Nadri’s nose, it already smelt good before she had even tasted it. Anything would have been better to what she had eaten as a beast or even when she was under the hold of Nathaniel and Hades. Her mouth could have watered at the delicious smell of Killian’s cooking, Killian was shuffling the eggs out of the pan and onto the plates that Nadri had already set out for them. “I imagine being in your world this would be unsuitable. From where I’m from we had castles and mountains. Not these.” She gestured to the apartment that surrounded her.

  
“Being down here in what you died in is normal. Being up there wearing that…” Killian trailed off, bring their plates over to the table, giving one to her and sitting down with one to himself and he handed her a knife and fork. “I think I would have to fight a fair few men away.” He was brutally honest, watching Nadri’s cheeks flame with embarrassment.

“Killian!” Nadri blushed heavily, taking the knife and fork out of his hand and he couldn’t help but roar in laughter. “Has your mouth always be so _bein_?!” Killian was still chuckling even as cut into half of a fried egg and scooped it up onto his fork, eating it hungrily.

  
“It’s called flirting, darling.” He said after swallowing his food, raising his eyebrow smoothly. Nadri continued to giggle in front of him. “What?”

“It’s just you’re so…I struggle to find it in the human tongue. What is the word where you find someone so humorous but in a…weird way? Lovingly of course.” She sweetly asked, smiling. She used to the fork to gently jab her bacon and lift it up, eyeing it curiously.

“An idiot?” He grinned, that he had been called multiple times.

  
“Yes, is there a word for that?” Nadri was so serious when she questioned Killian, her deadpanned tone making Killian laugh even further.

  
  
“You say I speak in riddles, love. Your language is something I can’t get my head around.” She shovelled the hot food in her mouth, enjoying the flavour of the salty bacon mixed in the eggs that had been scrambled to perfection. She enjoyed the atmosphere around her, it was peaceful. Nadri truly wondered if this was what it was like to feel Killian’s normality that could have been waiting for her beyond. “Your English is good though, love.” Killian quickly complimented, quite impressed by her understanding of his own language.

“I learned from humans how to speak in your language. Would you rather me to speak in _Dovah_? _Dreh hi lorot Zu'u vust mindov hi?_ ” The foreign words rolled off her tongue perfectly, sending shivers through Killian to hear the ancient language so fluently spoken. “Do you think I could teach you?” She translated to words that he could understand, her sweet and melodic voice coaxing her words.

“I think you’d have more luck with me teaching you.” Killian chuckled heartily, going back to eating and watching Nadri thoroughly enjoy what had been put in front of her.

“This is good, _raaviir_. I haven’t had much chance to eat like…this.” She admitted behind a wave of sadness, continuing to eat quietly.

“As a human?”

  
“Mhm.” Nadri nodded, filling her mouth with food.

  
“What’s it like? Going from one to the other?” Killian raised his eyebrow, breaking away from his breakfast and his gentle blue eyes rested upon the woman across the table from him, shuffling her food around the plate as she swallowed.

  
“It doesn’t hurt.” Nadri finally replied, bitterly taking another forkful of the crisp bacon in her mouth. She chewed it with attitude, thinking to what it was like the first time she felt the scales of her hide being peeled back away from her, her own blood-curdling screams deafening the room and of those around her, feeling the cracking and crunching of her bones as they broke from within to form into a smaller, more human form. She could barely put it into words, she was left as a naked cowering woman chained in a cell breathing so heavily she thought she could have thrown up her own heart at the time. “Not anymore. Now it is second nature. Hades did it so frequently that it became painless.” Nadri looked up at the pirate briefly before flickering her eyes back down.

  
“I’m sorry, love.” Killian sighed, crossing his cutlery on the plate and reaching for her hand. He had lowered the atmosphere of the room incredibly. What was once happy, enjoyable and lively was now solemn and full of angst.

“Don’t be, _Ruveyzun_. You’re a curious soul.” Nadri replied sweetly, letting her hand rest on the top of his hand, the long nails on her finger tips stroking his skin. “I imagine that wasn’t pleasant.” Her head gestured to his missing hand that had been replaced with gleaming, sharp hook attachment. Killian snorted softly, he deserved the talk to be reflected back on him. “ _Raaviirs_ rarely ventured into my realm, too far away from the water but the attraction to the gold was great.”

“I don’t blame them, lass. There’s nothing like sailing the sea.” Killian replied with a matter of fact tone. “That’s what I want to do when we get out of here. I want to get back to my ship, she’s been sitting at port for far too long now.”

“You were sea-given?” Curiosity poked her.

“Aye, Liam and I were sea-given from a young age. We worked and then went into the Royal Navy.” Killian nodded with a hesitant smile. “I’ve sailed to many lands, I do miss it. I think the sea will always be my true love.” Killian chuckled, Nadri returning his smile and brightening the mood back up in the room. Killian could see that her smile was the thing that warmed his heart the most, all he had to do was close his eyes and think of her flashing those pearly whites and his troubles would just slowly seep away from him.

“I have never had the opportunity to find out if there is truth to that tale.” Nadri admitted with a half-smile. Nadri had never encountered those who were bound by true love. In the Enchanted Forest, true love was a common tale to tell and common with the residents of all of the stories that the authors had written. Snow White and Charming were the first people Nadri had been around who were enchanted with that happiness, Nadri never had the chance to find her own love before her death. She was just meant to be overwhelmed by darkness, nothing more.

“Do you not believe in such a thing?” He was genuinely baffled,

“My feelings for you are true and just, Killian.” Nadri promised, still holding his hand. “True love was something I had never thought of as a _Dovah._ It was legend. I was alone for hundreds of years before…Nathaniel…strayed into my mountain.” The name felt sour in her mouth, not wanting to say it again. “I have said before, _Ruveyzun._ I would burn down the world if I could not be with you. That is a powerful love.”

“You gave me something to fight for when I got here. I was lost…angry.” Killian started, the air around them beginning to thicken over with emotion again. “I wouldn’t have thought that I would have found someone down here, someone I could love again. True love is a rare magic, Nadri, but finding someone like you down here…now that is rare.”

“Rare enough for it to be true?”

“It could be.” Killian swallowed hard, watching her expression falter from the smile that it had been beaming at. “Nadri, if you believed, it would break the curse.” He urged and Nadri pulled her hand away, as if it burned her. It was upsetting to hear, to watch even. She got up from the table, not wanting to go through another tearful conversation when they had just pulled themselves out of one already, and moved over to sofa where she could sit with her head in her hands. Her dress flared out across the sofa, her hair was resting over her face so Killian could barely see her. "Nadri, please."

"Killian, do not do this. I just wanted one morning with you where I could at least feel somewhat...human." Nadri begged, not wanting to hear another word of Killian's irrational plans.

  
"The possibility-"

  
“And if we’re not? If this is me loving you until you find another, do you really think I’d want that? It would break me, Killian.” Nadri looked up behind her hands, Killian was still sitting at the table with his hand curled into a fist on the table and looking at her behind the hair that was tussled down in front of his eyes. He understood where she was coming from, at least some what. She found it hard enough to trust him in the first place and now he was asking her to go even further in her trust by even considering the idea of their love being the rarest of them all. 

“I think we are.” Killian's voice spoke firmly.

Fate had brought them together. Death had brought them together. Why would the Universe put them through all of these trials and tribulations only for them not to be together?

“I know it.” He uttered and Nadri looked up at him with eyes that stared back into his soul, it was like looking into deep space. He felt as if the galaxy in her eyes were going to swallow him up.   
  
  
“You can’t know that, Killy.” Nadri whispered, looking up at the dark-haired man. He got up from the table and approached Nadri, sitting on the coffee table opposite her so he could look at her, taking her small hands within his own. “I fear that if this was…a love that could break the darkest of curses…the curse would be lifted before I could destroy the power that Hades holds.” Nadri tried to explain to the best of her capabilities, Killian sitting in front of her wearing a facial expression as if someone or something had smacked him hard in the chest. With no heart, it was like he could feel this empty pit filling with a deep feeling of overwhelming sadness at her walling her feelings back.

  
“I thought I had a true love before in Milah, I didn’t think I’d be able to open up again. I died and I met you, we saved each other. It could be true."

“I can’t believe that until I’m free, Killian. I feel if there was no way to leave this world with you, my fire would burn out.”

“Darling-“ Killian’s voice pleaded, only to be cut off with the lock turning in the front door of the apartment. The door was pushed open, Killian pulling back from Nadri and clearing his throat. He lifted himself up from the coffee table and went over to the dining table and picked up the plates and placing them in the sink as Emma, Henry, Regina and Robin strolled through the apartment door without warning. Henry placed the Storybook in the middle of the table and gave Nadri a bright morning smile. She simply returned it with a sadder one, Nadri desperately trying to suppress the tension in her face.

“Ooo, breakfast?” Emma chimed, looking over Killian shoulder to see the mess that Nadri had made across the counter with this morning’s antics and attempt on trying to put breakfast together for the first time. The morning was sweet while it lasted, maybe he was in the wrong to bring up the conversation all together.

“You missed out.” Killian curtly shut the conversation down, beginning to clean up. A dark stormy cloud might as well have been lurking over his head raining down on him. Emma stepped away from him, making a face behind his back before coming to sit down with Henry at the table. Nadri got up from the sofa and made her way to the table to see what was going on. They weren’t going to prod him more on the subject, all they had to do was look between him and Nadri and they could see that something had happened moments before they had walked in.

“Well, we thought we’d come and show you this. Henry wrote a few pages in his sleep, we’re still trying to work out if he can try and write something about Hades.” Regina and Robin lurked at the end of the table, Emma shuffling through the book to where they had found an illustration of Snow and David sitting in Granny’s having breakfast, the writing in the book stating that they were trying to find a way to speak to their young son, Neal. Emma continued flipping through the pages and stopped on a drawn picture of Nadri and Killian sitting at dining table together in a heated discussion, she frowned as she looked at the writing on the page.

“ _Captain Hook confessed-“_ The book was suddenly slammed shut, Killian’s hook had swept underneath the book cover as Emma had started to read the page in a low murmur and almost caught her fingers in the page. Killian pulled the book away from Emma’s hands and headed over to the coffee table, placing it on top to avoid any one else starting a story-time group. The tension was thick, Killian didn’t want what he had said to Nadri to become common knowledge amongst the group yet and he certainly didn’t want Nadri to be humiliated by his best friend reading about her feelings.

“Did you find anything that’s actually to do with Hades?” Killian almost hissed in annoyance, still holding frustration from his and Nadri’s unfinished conversation that was still weighing on him.

“Easy there, Captain Guyliner.” Regina called back, crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t see you doing anything productive apart from making breakfast and getting a lay-in.”

“I’m making sure that Nadri isn’t by herself. It’s alright for everyone to gallivant off to do what they want but she can’t leave the four walls she’s in because of that sadistic f-” Nadri widened her eyes at Killian’s attitude towards Regina, getting a rise out of the sorceress as she looked at him like he had lost his mind. “-man.” Killian clenched his jaw, flaring. 

"Hook!" Emma gestured towards Henry who was sitting at the table with Nadri as they sat in awkward silence. Nadri looked up at him, exchanging a glance of concern. The boiling tension of being in the Underworld was getting to everyone who was living and breathing, for Nadri and Killian it was a matter of going in circles of what could and couldn't be done. 

Nadri understood his frustration but he had to remember she had been stuck in this realm for few hundred years now and she had never been given a lifeline until Hercules freed her from Hades' cell. There was nothing a chance of complete, living freedom until now. 

“We’re here for _you_ remember, Hook.” Regina snapped and Nadri cleared her throat, pushing her chair up to get up quietly. “The whole reason we’re here is because of you and we’re the ones out looking for a way to get rid of Hades while you’re on guard duty.”

  
“Easy, Regina. It’s not Nadri’s fault.” Robin reprimanded, coming to Nadri’s defence. She had just been sitting there the whole time, she had not uttered a single word and she was still coming under fire. Regina exhaled with a huff. “We didn’t come here to instigate an attack on anyone. Come on, it’s first thing in the morning.”

“I’m sorry, Nadri.” She apologised sincerely, her features softening instead of the stern expression she usually wore. “We’re all frustrated. You have nothing to do with this.”

  
“I appreciate the apology, Regina.” Nadri nodded, thankful that for once she had actually realised when she had crossed the line. She appreciated it, she wanted to feel like she could be helpful to their team.

“It’s been a stressful few days for all of us. I just wish there was an easier way to all of this.”

“Did you find anything at all?” She wanted to move the conversation away from the tension in the room, Killian moved towards the wide windows and stared out at Storybrooke solemnly.

  
“Hades has got the elevator covered with protection magic, it’s taking some time to figure out something strong enough to take it down.”

“I couldn’t imagine Hades putting his faith in a protection spell. He has the power of the _Dovah_ , all he needs to do is summon me and I’m the one who makes sure that no one can get through.” Nadri bit the inside of her cheek, trying to think of the possibilities that she had witnessed after hundreds of years. A knock was heard at the door, Regina and Emma exchanging wild looks between each other.

  
“Who the hell is that?” Emma looked towards Nadri and she shrugged innocently with a similarly confusion expression.

“It’s not for me, everyone I know has moved on.”

“Be on your guard.” Regina told them lowly before turning around and cautiously approaching the door. She rested her hand on the golden door knob and gently twisted it, opening the door and peeking her head around the wood to see who was standing there. “Zelena?” She opened the door right up, revealing to the room a red-headed woman dressed head to toe in emerald green and stunning black. Regina’s cautious look turned into one of a smirk, almost pleased to see the woman had arrived in the Underworld. Nadri tried to peek over at her and couldn’t help but feel that her aura had been a presence before.

  
  
“Before you say it, I’m not dead.” Her tone was incredibly well-spoken British. It was different to Killian’s, Nadri picked up a lot more of a common tongue in Killian.

  
“Oh.” Regina expressed with a distasteful tone. “Then how did you get here?”

“Through a portal and I didn’t come alone. My baby is here, she’s in danger.”


	16. HOFKIIN

Nadri was pulled into a family situation that she had no experience of. Robin and Regina were called away with Zelena to find their daughter, an unfortunate ingredient that was called into the mix of Hades’ time-travelling magic. Nadri had grown to know Hades’ ideas and visions for his future especially when it came to getting his revenge, she knew exactly what he was doing bringing in a pure, poor soul into this domain. The situation began to become overbearing, the presence of so many living souls in one room was unnerving to Nadri. It was beginning to wear her spirit down, every step forward was just two steps back.

Nadri went to the rooftop for some much needed air, needing to come away from the bodies that were crowding the room. She had experienced loneliness all of her life and socialising skills were something that she desperately need to learn. She was struggling to keep up with everyone’s life stories, confusing relationships, friendships and backstories only made her more confused along the way.

Looking over at Storybrooke she could see that Regina and Robin were heading away from the apartment building, on their way to retrieve Robin’s baby. She wished them luck, she couldn’t imagine how much more pain that they could stand.

They had lost a lot.

“Struggling with human life, Nadri?” The voice ran through her body as if her body had been pushed into a freezing cold, ice sea. The chills ran through her, creeping up her spine hauntingly and goosebumps spread across her skin with fear. “Oh, my dear, did I scare you?” Nadri turned around with a paralyzing fright, seeing the Lord of the Underworld standing opposite her with hands placed on his cane comfortably and leaning forward with a sickening smile to Nadri. “I’d say that was pretty easy this time.”

“How did you find me?” Nadri’s words were barely audible, almost ghost-like. It was almost like a mirror to a few days ago, only this time it didn't take a few hundred years to track her down. 

“You know I have eyes everywhere, Nadri.”

“Don’t hurt them. They are good people…they are good souls.” She begged them, pleading desperately with the Lord himself. Nadri took a step back, only a few centimetres away from the edge of the building and then it was a devastating fall. Only few know what happened after a soul experiences a devastating impact to their vessel, they’d go to a place that they were reformed…but it was a different place every time.

“I’m not here for them, Nadri.” Hades made his way towards her, aimlessly spinning his cane. Hades was wrapped up in a dark, comfortable trench coat and sporting a dark red, silk ascot. “I’m here for you. Did you really think I wouldn’t find you after the Jones brother let out where you were hold up? I was stupid enough not to think of it myself.”

“Hades.” Nadri’s voice was firm, desperate of the God to listen to her. “You’ve found me, that’s it. We can go together and let them leave.” She tried to negotiate but was met with a maniacal cackle. “Please, I’m begging you. They have children-“

“That I need.” Hades corrected her. “No one is going anywhere. Not a single one.”

“You seem to forget your power is right here in my pocket. I will make you do _anything_ I want you to. You think that the living can just charge into my house, wreck my front yard and then go without paying the consequences?! They will pay. This isn’t a game anymore.” Nadri’s head snapped back at the group that was coming towards the apartment building, ready to shout out for them but a leather-gloved hand wrapped around her mouth to stop her from being able to cry out.

His strength overpowered her. She kicked her legs out, Nadri struggling to hold herself up as Hades didn’t hold back on wrestling her away from the jump.

“Ah! I don’t think so, bitch.” He growled, dragging her away. His cheek was pressed against hers, pulling her body against his as he aggressively pulled her further back against the ledge. “We’re going for a little trip.” With his last words, Nadri was dragged into a cloud of dark smoke, disappearing from the roof.

They arrived in the middle of the Underworld’s prison, right in front of the door of Nadri’s old cell that she had been confined when she had first gotten here. Hades grabbed her by the back of the neck tightly, handling her like a feral animal, and directed her to the cell before shoving her roughly inside of it. Nadri tripped on her dress, ripping the fragile material down past her knees as she collapsed onto the stone floor and cried out.

“It’s alright, my dear. You won’t be needing that.” Hades chuckled behind the woman before shutting the heavy door behind them. Nadri looked up at Hades, dirt covering her face from meeting with the floor, the candles that were lit within the cell shed a small light on the anticipation of the beating that she was about to receive. Her body was shaking, terrified, full of adrenaline.

“Do it! This isn’t new to me anymore, Hades.”

“Oh I plan to do it.” Hades told her with a matter of fact tone, beginning to unbutton his coat as he approached her. “I plan to break you into small Nadri pieces and no one will come to safe you.” His anger at her defiance radiated off him, he wasn’t planning on letting her out of his sight.

She could try and fight back, attempt in some way to use her power, but it didn’t matter.

Hades would end her once and for all.   
  


* * *

Killian sat in the Blanchard apartment with Emma, both sitting on the couch waiting for Regina and Robin to come back with his newborn. Killian was anxiously waiting for Nadri to come back down from the apartment’s rooftop, leaving her to get some peace and quiet by herself that she had been yearning since being brought into the fold of their heroic group. He understood that it was beginning to become too much for her but he wanted to keep her as safe as he could. He couldn’t imagine what the impact would be if she was gone from his life.

Emma could see how much he was worrying, he was rubbing his hand up and down the knee of his jeans and constantly glancing up at the door every time he heard a noise. Behind his back, Emma had looked through the pages that Henry had unknowingly written and it explained why the air was so cold when they had first walked into the apartment in the morning.

“She’ll come back, she just needs a break.” Emma spoke up first, giving him a caring tone as he looked back towards her. “It’s probably really overwhelming for her. She’s been dead a while.” Emma reminded him and Killian fought the urge to roll his eyes at how she worded it.

  
  
“I just….don’t want to lose her. I said something rather ridiculous this morning. I upset her.”

“You can’t get it perfect every time, Hook. She’s scared, alone and has suddenly been thrown into this group of people. I know that feeling.”

“I know you do, love.” Killian sighed, running his hand through his growing hair. “She doesn’t deserve…all of this. I shouldn’t have believed Liam over her, I should trust her. Nadri risked everything for me and all I’m doing is upsetting the bloody woman.” Emma couldn’t help but let out a quiet chuckle, seeing how emotionally pent up over a woman he was. He was always a charismatic and flirty character but when it came to ‘real-life’ feelings, he loved hard and so passionately that it could burst your heart. “What’s so funny?”

“Seeing you hung up over a girl. I just didn’t think I’d see this.” Killian let out a stifled chuckle.

“I guess not. Nadri - she…she’s just something else. I just looked at her and I knew. I knew what was right.” Killian admitted to his closest friend, looking at her with a fascinated expression that was almost as if he wasn’t entirely sure why fate decided to direct him in Nadri’s life. “How is that possible? After everything that’s happened…After what I was…I feel like I don’t deserve it.” Emma placed a hand on Killian’s shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze and a warm smile.

“You do, Killian.” Emma firmly told him, seeing the pain in his eyes. “Gold might have taken your sacrifice but you deserve good things. You deserve to come home to us. You deserve to be happy.” Killian looked down, wiping the tears that were threatening to spill from his eyes but he took a deep breath, swallowing it back. “You deserve love.” He cared so heavily for a woman he had met in the days that he had been imprisoned in this pit, overwhelmed by all of the possibilities.

  
“If she’s lost to this place I don’t know what I’d do. Truly, I do not know.”

“We will do this, together, Hook.” Emma gave him one last squeeze on his shoulder. “It was my idea to come down here to get you and we’ll get you out. Both of you.” Henry came running down the stairs suddenly, pages screwed up in his hands as he came tearing down like he had a fire right underneath him. “What’s wrong mate?” He cleared his throat, staring at the boy who came rushing over to them.

“It’s Nadri.” He passed the pages to Killian and Emma, Killian feeling his breath hitch in his throat as he saw the drawings of Hades and Nadri on the roof. “Hades took her. She’s gone.”

“What?!” Killian shot up from the sofa, scanning the pages of Hades dragging her into a pit of smoke. Emma looked up at him, showing him the page of Nadri in her cell. His eyes looked into the pages, seeing the drawing of her tucked up in the corner of the dark cell.

“Hook don’t-!“ Killian snatched the page to get a closer look despite Emma’s warnings. She was bare, covered in black and blue bruises with blood pouring from her face. Killian’s knuckles turned white the longer he held the pages, then suddenly began to rip them up harshly and threw them down into crumbled clumps. He let out a frustrated, strangled cry before taking his hand to lift a chair from the dining table, launching it towards the bedroom on the otherside of the open apartment. Emma jumped to her feet as it smashed along the floor, Killian huffing as his body filled with rage. “We will find her, I promise-“

“No. _I_ will find her. I know where she is, where she’s kept. Stay here.”

“Killian!” Emma roared again, this time stopping Killian in his frantic tracks. “I know you love Nadri but this not the way! You need to wait, we need everyone with us for this!” Henry back off while his mother was reprimanding the pirate in his tracks. Killian looked over his shoulder, breathing heavily with worry.

“Hades will kill her, Emma. He will destroy her entire being and that will be it.”

“It won’t be it, we can still defeat Hades and bring you back!”

“Well maybe I don’t want to come back without her!” Killian and Emma were screaming at one another at this point. Killian was hell bent on going after Hades solo and Emma knew that it would only end in one way. Killian could be a pain in the ass at the best of times but it was going to take a lot to sway him into waiting before storming off one his own as a one man army. He turned around, anguish washed over his features and drowned him. “Why should I come back with a second chance after everything I did with nothing to redeem it for? My life is empty, dark. I gave into the darkness out of revenge, everything I did then was awful! I don’t deserve to be back on the other side. I was sea-given, left alone with hardly a chance at redemption. Everything changed when I met her.” His throat felt constricted, he couldn’t swallow the tears back this time. His emotions overwhelmed him, as if they were wrapping around him and tightening around his soul. Tears slipped his magnificent eyes, wanting to sob.

  
Emma approached him and pulled him into a hug, he tried to move away from her but she held her grip around him and he gave in, sobbing into her shoulder. She shushed him soothingly, rubbing his back as she could feel the wet tears in the clothing over her shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm trying to pull myself out of my funk to get these done but you know what we're so close and I hope you guys are going to enjoy the next few chapters. Let me hear your thoughts - Do you think Nadri will make it back with Killian? Do you think that they'll get a happy ever after?


End file.
